


Happy Life

by Ryqoshay



Category: Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Angelic AU, F/F, Minor Kurosawa Dia/Matsuura Kanan/Ohara Mari
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-01-17 04:48:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 44,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12357810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ryqoshay/pseuds/Ryqoshay
Summary: Happy Life is a collection of scenes scattered across a timeline that I've honestly yet to determine.Overall premise is, "What if Yohane really was a fallen angel? What if Riko was as well? But, what if neither realized this fact? Would it impact them or their relationship?"Most scenes will be fairly YohaRiko centric. Like HtHaN, scenes will be written in a one-shot or short subset format insofar as most of the information needed to understand them should be contained within. It is assumed the reader has seen the LLSS anime, but references to other parts of the franchise are usually highlighted in the notes.Scenes will not be posted in chronological order, rather in the order that I write them; as ideas come to me. Thus, chapter order will be shuffled regularly.Overall rating is T, but some individual scenes may only be G and a few may stray into mild M'ish territory.Most recent scene posted: Hibagon (ch 11)





	1. How to Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two girls discuss how to fall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko?  
> Words: ~800  
> Rating: G  
> AU: Angelic  
> Time Frame: ???

The redheaded girl set down her binoculars, grabbed a nearby star-shaped pillow and rolled onto her back. Clutching the pillow in such a way that it hid her mouth, she released a sigh.

“Still can’t forget about her, can you?” A voice asked from nearby.

The redhead furrowed her brow but didn’t look over at the newcomer. “I don’t want to hear that from you.” She stated flatly. “I’ve seen you watching those two.”

The approaching blonde simply laughed. “Studying some… extra-curricular material I see?”

The redhead twisted quickly to her side, grabbed the book and slammed it shut. “I was just…”

“Trying to figure it out?” the blonde interrupted.

“That too…” The redhead admitted. “But I was mainly making sure that the things she’s been doing aren’t actually, you know…”

“Dangerous?”

“Yeah.”

“Are they?”

“I don’t think so. On their own they’re harmless, but she’s been combining them in ways I’ve never seen before.”

“So, what will you do if they do end up being dangerous?” The blonde took a seat on the edge.

“… I don’t know.”

“Will you finally visit her?” She started swinging her legs back and forth

“I don’t know. Maybe?”

“Honestly, I’m surprised you haven’t visited her in all this time.”

“There’s just so many rules for those visits.” The redhead complained.

“And you’re a rule follower. What’s the problem?”

“I know I would be tempted.”

“And you might fall as well?”

“Exactly. And if I fall like her, I’ll be born into that world and be like all of them. Not only would I be years behind her, which apparently makes a big difference down there, the odds are horrifically slim that I would even end up in the same general area as her.”

“So, you’re just going to watch her until the end of her days down there and hope and pray she makes her way back up here?”

“You came back, didn’t you?”

The blonde grinned.

“Speaking of, how did you manage that?”

The blonde’s grin only grew. “I’ll go back down eventually, when the time is right.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Anyway, what if I told you there was another way?”

“Another way?”

“Another way to fall.”

The redhead pushed herself up to a sitting position. “That’s impossible.”

“Not impossible, just not used often.” The blonde shrugged. “Most consider the cost to be too steep.”

“Explain.”

“There is a way to fall while keeping your current form. You become part of that world as though you were always part of the world. You have a family, people know you. You remember them and they remember you.”

The redhead wrinkled her nose. “You mean it messes with people’s minds?”

“No. It changes reality itself.”

“What?”

“The memories are real because everything actually happened. Reality is changed to accommodate your new existence. You get to live out your life as a real part of that world.”

“So what is the cost?”

“Your existence.”

“What do you mean?”

“An existence for an existence. You give up the eternity you’ve spent here for whatever time you have down there.”

“But I can come back, right? When I’m done down there?”

“Perhaps. That depends on a lot of factors. Life is different down there, as I’m sure you’ve seen.”

“…” The redhead returned to her position on her back.

“And even if you do come back, you’ll come here as they do. You won’t regain the existence you have now as you’ve already traded it for an existence like theirs.”

“…” The redhead pulled the pillow back over her mouth. After a long moment of silence, she finally asked. “Will I remember her?”

“No. She is a part of your current existence.”

“…”

“However…”

The redhead turned towards the blonde with a questioning gaze.

“There is a chance…”

The redhead breathed in slowly.

“If your feelings are strong enough, something may make it through. But at best, it will be like remembering a dream, or a book you read long ago. You may find yourself drawn to her for reasons you don’t understand. But that’s only if your feelings are strong enough.”

“They are.” The redhead stated definitively.

The blonde smiled. “I figured you’d say that.”

“So…” The redhead lowered her gaze. “What all is involved in this?”

The blonde held out a book. “It’s all covered in here. Feel free to read up on it before you make you decision.” She stood. “Come find me when you decide.”

“Alright…”

* * *

Riko’s eyes snapped open. What a strange dream…

Wait…

Was it strange? What had it even been about? Geez, how could she forget it so quickly? A shame, perhaps it could have inspired her and helped her get past her musical slump.

Sitting up, her gaze fell on her new uniform; Uranohoshi Girls’ Academy. It looked alright, but part of her missed her Otonokizaka uniform from last year.

She glanced at her clock. Plenty of time. Wouldn’t want to be late on her first day.

She changed quickly, walked down the hall to wash her face, then headed down stairs for breakfast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still have no idea why I thought it was a good idea to start a new series while I still have more notes for HtHaN than the word count of this scene.
> 
> In any case, there was much discussion about the [Aqours Angel](http://schoolido.lu/collection/Angel/) set over at my other digital haunt, Sukutomo. I couldn't resist tossing in my two G and the ideas started brewing. Deities only know where I will go with this, however.
> 
> Card Referenced:  
> 


	2. Manchineel Halberd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aqours has their Summer Beach photoshoot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~1k  
> Rating: G  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Sometime during the Summer break  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone
> 
> I'm using brackets to designate the use of English in a scene with characters primarily speaking Japanese, as I have done in a few scenes of HtHaN.

“I thought I requested mine be a Manchineel apple.” Yoshiko complained, holding the prop she had been given.

“Why is that, zura?” Hanamaru asked before realizing the answer on her own.

“Because despite its humble resemblance to the common apple, the Machineel is far more toxic.” The fallen angel explained. “In fact, the entire tree has fallen from grace and contains some poisons that remain unidentified even today! It is by far the most suited fruit for a fallen angel such as Yohane!” She concluded by flashing her signature gesture.

“M-More toxic?” Ruby stammered, staring at the apple out of which she had just taken a bite.

“Indeed.” Yoshiko intoned. “Hidden in the depths of an otherwise delicious fruit, even the common apple holds a deadly secret.”

“The seeds contain trace amounts of cyanide.” Riko explained, approaching the first years. “But even if you accidentally consume the entire core of a single apple, the dosage is negligible. Stop trying to scare her, Yoshiko-chan.”

“But it is the truth!” The younger girl proclaimed, striking yet another dramatic pose. “Many plants bear the dark shadow of cyanide; almonds, apricots, cherries, lima beans, soy beans, bamboo shoots and even spinach!”

“You just have to avoid the pits of some of those.” You added her two yen. “The rest simply have to be prepared correctly.”

“And the tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and chilies are of the same ilk as the deadly nightshade belladonna!” She brought the back of her hand to her forehead to emphasize the purported tragedy. “What a cruel world in which humans must dwell, that the very food they eat is tainted so.”

“Those also just need to be harvested and prepared correctly.”

“However, Yoshiko-chan, don’t you actually like chilies, despite the capsaicin?” Riko asked. “Or maybe because of it?” She added, remembering blue-haired girl’s eclectic tastes in food.

“Of course! A fallen angel such as myself cares not that capsaicin is a poison!” Yoshiko’s eyes widened suddenly. “That’s it!” she cried excitedly. “Forego the Manchineel! Yohane demands a Bhut jolokia!” She held up her prop again. “The ghost pepper is a worthy symbol for a fallen angel!”

“What about the Carolina Reaper?” Mari asked, walking up.

“Yes! Even better!” Yoshiko grinned manically. “With that I could turn this halberd into a scythe!”

“Halberd?” Riko raised an eyebrow.

“Be that not what this is?”

“Uhm…”

“Prepare thyself, Riri!” Yoshiko shifted her grip. “The fallen angel shall trap you with the sweet taste of this strawberry blade!”

“<Oh my.>” Mari said, wielding her own fruit bladed weapon. “<The guilty will fight this night!>”

“Yousoro!” You cheered. “Face off against me and you will not meet a happy end!”

“Guys, we’re doing a photoshoot.” Dia warned.

“And isn’t swinging these things around a little unsafe?” Riko inquired.

“You worry too much, Riri.” Yoshiko dismissed, twirling her weapon. “I intend no real harm on any of my little demons.” That said, she brought the pseudo-blade down across Mari’s leg. The soft, but sturdy material flexed easily to dissipate the blow, and returned to is former shape after.

“<Lock on!>” The blonde laughed, swiping across her opponent’s arm before deflecting an attack from You.

“Pigii~” Ruby squeaked, hiding behind Hanamaru.

“You can hide anywhere in the galaxy.” Kana stated, joining the fray. “But we will still seek you.”

“Don’t worry, zura.” Hanamaru assured. “Maru will protect the innocent bird.”

“Guys…” Dia chastised again.

“Jumping heart!” Chika yelled, aiming an overhead chop down on her stern senior.

“Buu buu, desu wa!” the emerald eyed girl dodged easily. “Holding to the pattern, it would have been more appropriate to yell something about being genki all day or inquiring about the knowledge held by the night…” She was cut off as a fruit flag crashed against her hip from behind.

“So you were paying attention.” The school chairwoman teased.

“Mari-san!” Dia barked, swinging her own oversized spoon around in a blind, and ultimately, unsuccessful attack.

Watching the scene unfold, Riko couldn’t help sighing. At least the photographers were still snapping shots. But how did everything descend into chaos so quickly? Descend… Fall… Of course, Yohane. Riko was just about to turn and retreat to the shore when something impacted the side of her head.

“Wha…?” She uttered, catching red out of the corner of her eye. An inflatable strawberry splashed back down to join the rest of the fruit props floating around in the shallows.

“You can’t run away, my target!” a taunting voice called. “Riri, shoukan!”

“Yocchan!” Riko growled. “Why are you throwing things?”

“There are no rules in a battle among little demons!” the shorter girl declared proudly.

“No rules you say?” Riko stomped towards the other girl.

“Not if you plan to face a fallen angel!”

Riko’s first swing was parried with ease and was met with haughty laughter, but her second made contact. Even so, Yoshiko continued to laugh. It quickly became apparent that the younger girl really was just having fun and as the two continued to spar, Riko couldn’t deny that it was at least a little amusing. Still, she had come to win.

Floating nearby, Riko noticed a large shark inflatable and guided her opponent near it. As the toy floated within range, she slipped a foot under it and kicked up.

“Kyaaa!” Yoshiko cried as a shark jumped up at her, along with a sizable spray of water.

Seizing the opportunity, Riko shoved the spoon end of her weapon under her opponent’s and heaved upwards, disarming her. Off balance, Yoshiko tumbled back into the water. Blinking, the blue-haired girl suddenly found a pink… – what was Riko’s fruit, anyway? – hovering under her chin.

“Now, what do you want to do?” Riko asked, with a strangely self-satisfied smirk.

“You’re not so fragile, are you?” Yoshiko replied, meeting the smile.

“The fallen angel has been defeated!” Mari called from nearby.

You, Chika and Kanan cheered, earning looks of confusion from the others.

“So, with that out of our system,” Dia started, “may we get back to the task at hand so we can wrap up this photoshoot?”

Eight affirmations were issued as Riko reached down to help Yoshiko back to her feet.

“That was fun.” The fallen angel said, still grinning as she retrieved her flag.

“Yeah…” Riko admitted. “I suppose it was.”

“We should do it again, sometime. Though next time, Yohane will win, for sure.”

Riko smiled. “We’ll see about that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No idea why this became a scene, to be honest, but I couldn’t get the idea out of my head that the props in the new Aqours set looked like halberds. Apparently, a few days on the back burner was enough to cook this up. Not complaining, mind.
> 
> I’m hesitant to delve too much deeper into this fic before the second season of Sunshine is completed. Despite this ultimately being an Angelic AU, I do still want to keep it kind of canon’ish; at least the parts that take place here on Earth.
> 
> The most likely retcon in this scene will be how the characters refer to one another. As with HtHaN, I intend to use the anime as a baseline and include some supplemental material here and there if I think it can fit. Thus, I anxiously await the second season to see if “Yocchan” and/or “Riri” makes the cut.


	3. Yocchan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who is Yocchan?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~1.1k  
> Rating: K  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Sometime between Episode 09 and 11 of Season 2  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone
> 
> Spoilers for those who have yet to watch the final episode, I guess. I started writing this scene a few weeks ago with the assumption that Riko would not end up using her nickname for Yoshiko in the anime. Now that this has come to pass, I was able to complete it.

The blue-haired girl called her name. Not her given name, though, her special name; a nickname the blue-haired girl had given her so long ago that the redhead could no longer remember. Though the blue-haired girl was known for coming up with such names for her friends, the redhead treasured hers and had even come up with one she used in return.

The blue-haired girl beckoned the redhead closer. She seemed excited to show her something. As the redhead approached, she noticed ancient symbols scrawled underfoot and shifted her stride to avoid disturbing them. She stopped when she realized something seemed off.

It was by no means uncommon for the blue-haired girl to practice archaic rituals, as it was not only a strong interest of hers, but also a particular specialty in her bloodline. Many tides of battle had been turned against those who dwelled deep below when her family brought their formidable magicks to bear.

But something wasn’t quite right this time.

The redhead squinted at the symbols nearest to her. She could read some and guess at others due to the context of their arrangement but many were completely foreign to her. The energy they produced made her skin crawl and as she resumed approaching her friend, a sense of nausea began churning in her stomach.

The blue-haired girl intoned a strange phrase and the energy in the area pulsed. She grinned manically and spoke the phrase again. The gathering magicks obeyed her command and flowed faster into the circle, gathering to a density that was practically palpable. She raised her arms, tilted her head back and shouted the phrase a final time. Critical concentration was almost…

Something snapped.

The redhead instinctively threw up a ward to protect herself as the magic exploded around her. It happened so quick, she could only defend herself and was unable to extend her shield to her friend. However, as the turbulent forces continued to pummel her from all sides for what seemed to be an eternity, though very well could have been mere seconds, she realized she wouldn’t have had the energy to protect both of them. Despite defense being her forte, truth be told, she barely had the power to save herself. Just how much power had the blue-haired girl summoned?

The blue-haired girl… Her friend…

Finally, the torrent of destruction subsided, just in time, before the redhead’s own power was depleted. She dismissed her barrier and scanned the area before her. It didn’t take long for her to find…

* * *

“Yocchan!” Riko gasped, sitting straight up in bed.

You-chan? Had she been dreaming about her fellow second year? Odd.

No. The name she had practically shouted was a little different, something like half a syllable shorter.

Yocchan.

Who the heck was Yocchan?

It was most likely a nickname, so who else did she know whose name started with… Yoshiko. Yohane? Sure, it fit; surprisingly well, actually. Not only did it seem to suit the younger girl, it felt familiar for some reason. Very odd.

But why the heck would I be dreaming about Yoshiko-chan? Riko scoured her mind for reasons.

Sure, she and the blue-haired first year had recently bonded over Lae… Nocturne. And the younger girl had been instrumental in Riko overcoming her fear of dogs. But why the heck would she be dreaming about her strange underclassman while calling her some nickname she had never used? It just didn’t make sense.

And for another matter, what kind of nightmare had it been that caused her to wake up in a cold sweat? Riko shivered as she noticed the slight sheen of moisture on her arms. Had her underclassman cast some sort of curse on her? No, that was impossible. Magic didn’t exist. Fallen angels didn’t exist. Even Yoshiko admitted such things herself.

“Yocchan…” Riko spoke the name again. Why the heck didn’t that name feel strange? Riko wasn’t the type to give nicknames to her friends. And certainly, it was at least as strange as the nickname Yoshiko had already given her, right?

Riko pursed her lips. She had found herself more than a little irritated when Yoshiko had started insisting on calling her Riri, but the more she thought about it, she really couldn’t really decide why.

Did the name bother her because no permission had been sought before it was issued? No, that wasn’t it. Yoshiko undoubtedly started calling Hanamaru by Zuramaru without asking permission and the other first year did not seem to mind. For that matter, in a reverse case, none of the girls of Aqours called Yoshiko by Yohane, the name she preferred. And that did irritate the girl who seemed fond of using nicknames.

Perhaps the name annoyed her because it meant that Riko had accepted being one of Yoshiko’s little demons? No, that wasn’t it either. She had accepted that premise before the younger girl had formally joined Aqours. Sure, some of Yoshiko’s antics were over the top and annoying, but she never meant any malice with them. The supposed fallen angel was a good friend and if that meant holding the title of a little demon, then so be it.

Maybe… Just maybe, it was because the name sounded strangely familiar and stirred something within her that she could not comprehend? … Maybe? … No?

“Riri…” She murmured her own nickname. The name was little more than the first syllable of her real name repeated, however, how it was pronounced made it sound reminiscent of the English word for a lovely type of flower. Had that been intentional on Yoshiko’s part?

Something shifted in the depths of her mind. She tried to focus on whatever it was that was buried, but it resisted her mental prodding.

Yocchan… Riri…

It moved again. What the heck?

Riko continued to repeat the names several times to herself, but was unable to uncover the memories further. After several minutes of concentration, she sighed and gave up. Perhaps she was just tired; she had just awakened in the middle of the night, after all. She made a mental note to try to think about the names and the strange sensation they caused when she was more awake.

Perhaps, Riko decided, she should apologize to Yoshiko for reacting as she did to the nickname. It had not been assigned with the intent to tease, rather to signify a bond of friendship. And it was kind of cute.

And maybe, just maybe, she might consider using a nickname for the younger girl as well.

Finally, Riko lay back down and pulled her covers over herself. She closed her eyes and began to drift off, thoughts of an eccentric, blue-haired girl running through her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suppose I should go back and edit Machineel Halberd to use the timeline appropriate names.


	4. Cute Cookies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The origin of the cookies Yohane uses as a prop for the second Aqours Valentine's Day photoshoot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~1.8k  
> Rating: K  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Early February of Riko’s 2nd year and Yoshiko’s 1st year of high school  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone

“You-chan.”

“What’s up, Riko-chan?” The future tugboat captain turned to her fellow second-year.

“Might I ask a favor?”

“Of course.” You smiled. “What do you need?”

“I need to borrow your expertise to find an edible paint.” Riko explained.

“Edible paint? What were you planning on decorating?”

“Cookies.”

“Hrm, I’ve typically just frosted mine.” You mused.

“I was hoping to maybe use my skill for painting to maybe make some finer details.”

“You can achieve fine detail with frosting as well.” The ash-haired girl pointed out.

“I see…”

“But if you’re looking to use a paintbrush, let me look up a few things online.” You continued. “I know I’ve seen the technique used before. It can be a learning experience for both of us.”

The redhead smiled. “Thank you.”

“So,” A smirk crossed You’s lips “who is the lucky one to have won over the heart of the fair maiden Riko-chan?”

“What?” Riko blinked. “My heart?”

“Surely you’re not making specially decorated cookies for yourself.”

“Well, no, they’re for Yoshiko-chan.”

“Yoshiko-chan?” You found herself a little confused. “The same Yoshiko-chan you had in a headlock the other day?”

“Uhm, yeah.” Riko admitted. “I never did thank her properly for helping me get over my fear of dogs.”

“Aaahhhh, so that’s what it is.” You nodded. “Sorry, here I thought you two might have bonded more than we realized.”

“Bonded? Well we are friends, I suppose. And she did give me that weird nickname.”

“It’s not weird.” You laughed. “It’s cute. And I don’t think she gave it to you with the intent of annoying you, rather to signify that you are an important friend to her.”

“Yeah, you might be right.” Riko conceded.

“And she’s only given you and Hanamaru-chan special names. Personally, I’d be honored to get a cute nickname from her.”

“I suppose…”

“Something like Kan-chan.”

“Kan-chan?”

“Sure, ‘Cute Little Captain.’” You smiled. “I think it would suit me.”

“It would.” Riko agreed.

“So does being called Riri really bother you?”

“Well…”

“Because I’m sure Yoshiko-chan would stop if you asked her.”

“But I have.”

You laughed again. “Yes, but the way you’ve done it so far is by way of what seems to be becoming the regular banter between you two. And because of that, she probably hasn’t taken it seriously. If you truly want her to stop, tell her earnestly, not while you have her in a headlock.”

“Hrm…”

“Do you want her to stop?”

“I don’t know…” Riko replied, honestly.

“Then I’d say let her continue.” You shrugged. “Who knows, maybe it will grow on you.”

“Maybe.”

“And if you want my opinion, I think it suits you.”

“It does?”

“Definitely.”

“I see…”

“Well, looks like break is over.” You glanced up at the clock. “Meet me after practice today and we can plan things out.”

“Alright.” Riko agreed.

* * *

Riko hadn’t seen Yoshiko yet. Well, she’d seen her as everyone had gathered for a few quick announcements from Dia about the photoshoot they were having today, but she hadn’t had a chance to catch the first year alone. Apparently, they were doing another Valentine’s Day theme, though Riko didn’t quite understand why; they hadn’t even picked out the final selections for the last shoot. Still, the outfits were quite cute.

Riko had just finished having her hair styled and was making her way to the next room where the photos were being taken when she spotted Yoshiko in the hallway.

 “Yoshiko-chan.” Riko said, approaching.

“Yohane!” The blue-haired girl immediately responded, spinning to face her senior.

“Yes, sorry, uhm…” The redhead faltered for a moment. “Anyway, I never did properly thank you for helping me overcome my fear of dogs.”

Yoshiko cocked her head to side curiously.

“So, I made these for you.” Riko held out a small cellophane bag filled with cookies.

Yoshiko’s eyes widened in immediate recognition. “Laelaps…” She uttered in awe, reaching for the bag.

“Nocturne.” Riko corrected, pulling the gift back a bit.

“Laelaps!” Yoshiko insisted, lunging for the package.

“Nocturne.” Riko held the cookies up. As she was a few centimeters taller than the younger girl, they were out of reach.

An expression of panic suddenly crossed Yoshiko’s face as her fingers brushed against the plastic. “N-Nocturne!” She suddenly pleaded, pushing up onto her toes. “Nocturne! Nocturne!” She repeated desperately.

Something turned in Riko’s mind. She had only intended to tease her junior a little, but Yoshiko’s reaction caught her off guard. She wasn’t whining in a melodramatic method meant to manipulate; this didn’t seem like part of what You had referred to as their usual banter. Rather, she seemed genuinely concerned that if she didn’t use the proper name she would miss out on a memento of a meaningful memory.

“I’m sorry.” Riko said, lowering her arm and allowing the first-year to take the bag. Her heart skipped a beat as relief overtook Yoshiko’s features. And she couldn’t tear her gaze away from the magenta eyes that sparkled with uninhibited admiration as they stared at the cookies.

“Where did you find these?” Yoshiko spoke after taking a good minute or two to marvel at the baked goods.

“Oh, I, uhm, made them.” Riko admitted.

“You made these for me?” Yoshiko seemed on the verge of tears as she drew a ragged breath. Riko hoped they were happy tears.

“As thanks for your hel…” The redhead was cut off as a blue-haired blur bounded into her.

“Thank you, Riko-san!” Yoshiko cried, pulling the other girl into a tight embrace. “They’re so cute! I love them! Thank you! Thank you, Riko-san!”

Riko cringed. That definitely sounded wrong. Had Yoshiko dropped her nickname as well out of fear that she might once again lose the gift? And now that she thought about it, the self-proclaimed fallen angel hadn’t even mentioned little demons once. This was not the Yoshiko to which Riko was accustomed; still somewhat of an emotional roller coaster, but not the one she expected. And Riko found herself missing the old behavior. Yoshiko wasn’t Yoshiko without…

“Yohane-chan…” Riko said after a moment.

Yoshiko snapped back and away from the hug, her eyes wide with surprise.

“You can go back to calling her Laelaps, if you prefer.”

“Really?” A smile tugged at the first-year’s lips.

“And, I suppose I don’t mind if you also keep calling me Riri.”

“You sure you don’t mind?”

“It’s fine.” The second-year assured. “It’s… cute.”

“Thank you, Riri!” Yoshiko surged back into the hug.

“I should be thanking you.”

“Hmm?”

“For the dog thing.” Riko reminded. “That’s what this was initially about, after all; me thanking you for helping me work past my fear.”

“It was my pleasure.” Yoshiko pulled away and displayed a toothy grin. “Hey, idea.” She sidestepped around the other girl.

“Huh?”

“Well you’ve already got your hair all teased and wavy and cute, so…”

Cute? Riko felt herself blush a bit. “Wait, what are you…?” She asked as fingers threaded through her hair.

“’ne hec…” Yoshiko’s voice sounded odd, as though she was talking through clenched teeth. She must have been holding the bag in her mouth to free her hands. “There.” She scooted back around to face Riko and held up her compact.

“Twin-tails?” Riko blinked as she noticed the new hairstyle in the mirror.

“Yup! It looks good. You should wear that style more often, Riri.”

“<Oooo! Stylish lovely!>” a blonde commented in English as she rounded the corner.

“<I know, right?>” Yoshiko replied.

“I haven’t worn twin-tails since I was a child.” Riko admitted.

“Well perhaps you should do so more often.” Mari smiled.

“That’s what I just said.” Yoshiko pointed out.

“Anyway, here are your props.” The third-year said, holding out two colorfully wrapped boxes.

“Thanks, but I’m going to use these.” The first-year held up her bag of cookies.

“Y-you are?” The second-year sputtered.

“Of course!” Yoshiko puffed out her chest. “My other little demons need to see the wonderful gift bestowed upon Yohane by her most faithful Riri!”

“Handmade cookies?” Mari eyed the package in the Yoshiko’s hand. “What a spectacular Valentine’s Day gift!”

“V-Valen…?” Riko shook her head. “N-No, I made them as thanks for…”

“Don’t worry, Riri,” Yoshiko grinned “Yohane will be sure to make you something extra special on White Day.”

Riko was about to deny the necessity of the offer when one of the photographers came around the corner.

“Ah, there you are.” The young man said. “You three are the last we need before we begin the next phase.”

“<Lights, camera, action!>” Mari cheered.

“<I’m ready for my closeup!>” Yoshiko intoned, following her senior’s choice in language again.

Riko sighed. Well, at least Yoshiko seemed to be back to normal. Or as normal as normal applied to the fallen angel. That said, she was pleased that Yoshiko was happy with the gift.

* * *

“Riri! Riri!” Yoshiko called, running to catch up.

“Yes?” Riko turned to face the younger girl.

“I wanted to thank you again for the cookies.” She held out her gift in a proud display.

“You’re welcome.”

“They’re almost too cute to eat.” Yoshiko commented, admiring the treats yet again.

“You know I can make more.” The redhead chuckled.

“Riri makes a good point.” The blue-haired girl said, undoing the ribbon securing the bag. She selected a single snack and held it up. Naturally, the first one out of the bag was one on which Riko had attempted to emulate Yoshiko’s style. Then, she opened her mouth and popped the whole thing in at once. “Mmmm…” She hummed, holding her hand to her cheek. “It’s so good!”

Riko smiled. “I’m glad.”

“Here.” Yoshiko held out another cookie. “Say ‘ahhh.’”

“Huh?” Riko blinked.

“This one is for you.”

“But I made them for you.”

“And I’m sharing them.”

“Oh…”

“So, say ‘ahhh.’”

“I can feed myself, you know.”

“Say ‘ahhh’ or I’m not sharing anymore.”

“…” Riko stared at the other girl for a moment before finally opening her mouth. “Ahhh…”

Satisfied, Yoshiko tossed the cookie into her senior’s mouth.

As Riko chewed, she realized the one she had been given was one on which she had used her own design. “You don’t want the Nocturne ones?” She inquired after swallowing.

“That’s not it.” Yoshiko shook her head. “I just thought you might want them.” She retrieved another like the one she had just given. “Nocturne is fine.” That said, she took it in one bite like the other. “You wanna Laelaps?” She asked, holding out the bag while not bothering to conceal the fact that she was speaking with food in her mouth.

“Sure.” Riko laughed, accepting another offered treat.

“Oh, that’s my bus.” Yoshiko spoke up, spotting the vehicle approaching. “Say, Riri, let me know when you make those cookies again. I’d like to help.”

“You’re not going to add any weird ingredients, are you?”

“Of course not! What do you take me for?”

Riko raised an eyebrow.

“Nothing weird. I promise.”

“Alright, I’ll let you know, Yoshiko-chan.”

“Yohane!”

“Right, sorry…”

“See you tomorrow, Riri!” Yoshiko said, boarding the bus.

“See you tomorrow.” Riko replied, waving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, I hope this meets the expectations of [Anon](https://ryqoshay.tumblr.com/post/170337472602/speaking-of-valentines-day-the-laelaps-and) and [Anon](https://ryqoshay.tumblr.com/post/170606742557/hi-would-you-be-doing-a-valentines-fic-for). Second, I hit a wall while writing the scene for [the other Valentine's theme](https://ryqoshay.tumblr.com/post/169997034707/riko-calls-herself-riri), so I hope my reference to it here still fits by the time I finish it. Yay, writing things out of order…
> 
> Lastly, I realize on rereading this scene to prep for posting that I didn’t include an angelic reference, sans the usual fallen angel description of Yohane. I may have to come back some time and add something.
> 
> Cards referenced:  
>   
> 


	5. Side Story: Unsent - To Kanan and Dia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A letter unsent

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: KanaDiaMari  
> Mentioned Pairing?: a redhead and a blue-haired girl?  
> Words: ~1.1k  
> Rating: K  
> AU: Angelic  
> Time Frame: Shortly after the graduation of the 3rd years  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone  
> Set: “Unsent”  
> To Maki (HtHaN)  
> To Nico (HtHaN)  
> To Riko (HL)  
> To Yoshiko (HL)  
> To Honoka (HtHaN)  
> To Kanan and Dia (HL)  
> To Hanayo (HtHaN)
> 
> This is the sixth of what was to be four entries in a set I am calling Unsent. The idea was inspired by [a contest over on Sukutomo](https://schoolido.lu/activities/8041166/) to write a love letter to one of the idols. For anyone reading Happy Life out of order, might I suggest at least reading How to Fall before reading this for a bit of context?

_Dear Kanan-chan and Dia-chan,_

_If you are reading this, then I have made my final ascent and am unable to return here to Earth. I am sorry that you have to learn the truth in this manner, as I would have preferred to have told you in person._

_I am an angel._

_No, Dia-chan, I’m not being silly or vain. I am literally an immortal being that was born in a heavenly realm. White feathered wings, halo and shiny magic; the whole shebang and caboodle. Maybe if I add enough glitter and sparkles to the delivery method of this letter, it will help you believe?_

_Yes, Kanan-chan, there was another reason why I insisted on being part of the primary pair for the angelic costume set. It wasn’t just because I thought the outfits were magnificent, though that part was still true._

The blonde pursed her lips. Should she mention that it was the same reason she also had insisted that the redhead be the other half of the pair? No. The redhead herself did not know yet. It didn’t seem fair to reveal the secret to anyone else first. And even if she did find a way to tell the redhead, and the blue-haired girl for that matter, it would be up to them if they wanted anyone else to know.

_I’ve visited Earth many times in my life. I’ve seen many things and made many friends. But the first time I visited this one crescent shaped island nation off the coast, I finally found a reason to stay. Two reasons, actually._

_So I fell._

_Both literally and figuratively._

_I love you. Both of you. I gave up eternity for you._

_Of course if you’re reading this, eternity may have taken me back. Or maybe it didn’t. Honestly, I don’t know. Despite what a close friend of mine might think, I don’t know everything about how this all works. This letter is really just a failsafe should it come to pass that I am in some way prevented from coming back down again._

_But back to more happy happy fun things._

_You two mean the world to me. From the moment you welcomed me into your lives years ago, I knew we would be friends forever. And to later learn the extreme measures you both took to look out for my wellbeing, I am truly blessed._

The blonde laughed lightly to herself. She couldn’t help wondering how those two would react if they learned the extreme measures she herself had taken, like faking how long the sprain had taken to heal. She had cast a healing spell on it prior, but since it was already known, she had to pretend that it took the expected time for a mortal to heal naturally. It was rather ironic that something she had tried to do in order to stay ended up being the catalyst for her going away.

_Kanan-chan, your love of the ocean is amazing. I would swim with you anywhere. I would swim from here if it was the only way to see you again. Though I’m not going to lie, I would rather fly. I know it took a little while to find that carefree attitude of yours that I loved from before I left the first time, but you’re back to being you again and I cannot tell you happy that makes me. I love that I can always be myself around you._

Or as much as I can in this mortal form, the blonde thought with a smirk.

_Dia-chan, your sense of duty is like no other. Sure, you can be strict at times, but I know you always mean well. And your flustered tirades over trivial minutia are always amusing. I look forward to seeing you take over the position as the head of the Kurosawa conglomerate. I know you will do well._

_We had another wonderful year together, didn’t we? Helping to reform Aqours was the best thing I’ve done in quite a while. But honestly, just seeing you two again was enough to make me happy._

Well, the restoration of Aqours would have actually been the second-best thing if a certain couple had followed the plan. The blond sighed. Not that it was their fault of course…

_So in the end, whatever happens, know that I will always be looking after you in any way I can. And if I truly am unable to return, I shall wait for you here._

_Until we meet again._

_Forever yours,  
Veritas_

The blonde folded the letter and slipped it in an envelope before holding it out with both hands. She uttered an ancient phrase and it began to hover in place. Moving her hands apart, the original letter followed one while a duplicate followed the other. She then spoke another phrase and made a quick gesture. Both letters disappeared in a flash to be filed away in her private storage above and automatically delivered if certain circumstances were met. Finally, she picked up her phone.

SerafinaDellaVerità: Come sono le mie due persone preferite nel mondo?

KurosawaDia: Why Mari?

KurosawaDia: Why can’t you just type in Japanese?

KurosawaDia: Now I have to look that up

Delphinus: Hahahahaha!

Delphinus: I’m good. How are you?

KurosawaDia: I’m fine as well

SerafinaDellaVerità: I’m looking up at the sky

SerafinaDellaVerità: Our sky

Delphinus: I was just about to go out for a dive

Delphinus: But I might take a moment to do the same

KurosawaDia: Give me a moment to walk outside

KurosawaDia: It’s lovely here

KurosawaDia: How does it look over there?

SerafinaDellaVerità: Meraviglioso!

KurosawaDia: Where is the sigh emoticon…

Delphinus: You should be used to looking things up by now, Dia-chan

SerafinaDellaVerità: Esattamente!

KurosawaDia: I wouldn’t have to if you just typed normal

KurosawaDia: Both of you

KurosawaDia: Don’t think I haven’t seen you typing weird stuff as well, Kanan

Delphinus: It’s just Italian

Delphinus: She’s in Italy after all

KurosawaDia: Never mind

SerafinaDellaVerità: So are either of you going to be in town this weekend?

Delphinus: Tokyo or Numazu?

SerafinaDellaVerità: Numazu

Delphinus: I can be

KurosawaDia: I will be

SerafinaDellaVerità: Papa is heading over for some business at the hotels

SerafinaDellaVerità: I figured I’d tag along so I could spend a few days with you two

Delphinus: That sounds great

Delphinus: We should gather Chika and the others as well

Delphinus: They’d love to see you

SerafinaDellaVerità: Maybe one of the nights

SerafinaDellaVerità: But the other I’d like to spend with just the three of us

KurosawaDia: I’m sure we can work something out

SerafinaDellaVerità: Wonderful

SerafinaDellaVerità: I’ll look forward to it

Delphinus: Same here

KurosawaDia: As will I

The blonde smiled as she set down her phone and returned her attention to the sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It honestly wasn’t my original intent to throw in so much exposition for the world building I’ve been doing for Happy Life, but that’s where my ~~µ’s~~ muse lead, so I followed. I hope it doesn’t confuse too many readers. My apologies if it does.


	6. Unsent - To Riko

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A letter unsent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: 990  
> Rating: K  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: A day or two before Riko’s graduation from high school  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone  
> Set: “Unsent”  
> To Maki (HtHaN)  
> To Nico (HtHaN)  
> To Riko (HL)  
> To Yoshiko (HL)  
> To Honoka (HtHaN)  
> To Kanan and Dia (HL)  
> To Hanayo (HtHaN)
> 
> This is the third of what I hope to be four entries in a set I am calling Unsent. The idea was inspired by [a contest over on Sukutomo](https://schoolido.lu/activities/8041166/) to write a love letter to one of the idols. However, as I have little interest in writing them from myself, I am instead writing them from a shipping standpoint.

~~_My dearest, most precious and elite little demon Riri,_ ~~

No.

Yoshiko scratched out what she had written.

~~_To Riko,_ ~~

Definitely not.

~~_My beloved Riri,_ ~~

Still not quite right…

_Dear Riri,_

Good enough.

_You’re an angel._

_And I don’t mean like how I like to believe I am a fallen angel. I mean you are literally an angel. Honestly, that can be the only explanation for how amazing you are. ~~And I love you.~~_

Yoshiko pursed her lips. Something as important as that shouldn’t be tacked on the end of a paragraph with an And. She scratched that out as well.

_I love you._

Better. It definitely deserved its own paragraph.

_I’ve loved you for quite a while now. Honestly, probably not long after you helped me through everything with Laelaps. Thank you again for that, by the way._

_I know you try to downplay your talents, your beauty and, well, everything else. And while I can empathize to a degree, I really wish you could see yourself the way I see you. Because you are talented and beautiful._

_Honestly, I could listen to you play the piano all day. And while I have not yet had the honor of hearing you play the viola, I hope I can someday. Your paintings are amazing and I will forever cherish the one you gave me. You are incredibly kind and I will always be grateful for all the times you agreed to house the cats and dogs I brought to you while I sought their original owners or a new owner. And your beauty is befitting of your angelic nature. When we wore white wings for that one photoshoot, it was not hard to imagine you using them to soar through the clouds._

_I love how accepting you have become of me in the time we have known each other. Sure, you have taken to learning some interesting techniques to use when I take things a bit too far, but I wonder if you realize that your methods actually make me want to push the envelope that much further the next time. I’m sorry if it feels like I’m teasing you too much sometimes, but you really are cute when you’re flustered. I love it when you blush. However, I truly love it when you smile._

_And so, I write this letter. A letter you will probably never read. I would have rather said something to you in person by this point, but I could never find the words. Besides, it would seem your feelings lie elsewhere. And that’s fine. If it makes you happy, then it’s all good. Honestly, it makes sense when you think about it. It’s only natural for an angel to be drawn to a beacon of light as opposed to a pillar of darkness. And I do not have it in me to lure you away from someone who makes you happy._

_So now you’re graduating and are heading to Tokyo for college. You’re sure to make new friends and begin moving towards the wonderful life you so very much deserve. And while I have no doubt that you will come back to visit on occasion, we won’t see each other nearly as often. So I think this is as good a time as any for me to let go and move on._

_I’ll see you at reunions and probably on campus, as it seems the best school for me will end up being the same one you’re attending. And I do hope we can stay in touch, but if not, then that’s the way life goes. But no matter what, I wish nothing but the best for you._

_Not that I’m worried or anything. The good fortune of an angel ascended radiates around you in a brilliant aura. And good things will come to you, of that I am certain._

_Your fallen angel,  
Yohane_

* * *

Yoshiko opened her eyes to the sound of her phone vibrating on the table. 99+ messages missed? What the heck? She unlocked the device and opened the app. Most of the messages were from the Aqours group chat, but the most recent were from a private chat with Riko. She tapped on the latter.

SakurauchiRiko: Yoshiko-chan

SakurauchiRiko: Are you there?

SakurauchiRiko: Hello?

SakurauchiRiko: You’re listed as online but inactive

SakurauchiRiko: And you haven’t said a word in group chat

SakurauchiRiko: You’re usually one of the most outspoken

SakurauchiRiko: Everything alright?

SakurauchiRiko: Message me when you get this

TheFallenAngel: Sorry

TheFallenAngel: Fell asleep reading

While it wasn’t an outright lie, it wasn’t the whole truth either. She had been rereading the letter she had just written. But there was no way she was going to admit that to Riko of all people.

SakurauchiRiko: I see

The reply was almost immediate, which surprised Yoshiko, considering the last message was from almost an hour ago.

SakurauchiRiko: Good to know everything is ok

SakurauchiRiko: I’ll assume you haven’t read the group chat so I’ll sum it up

SakurauchiRiko: We’re making plans for the graduation ceremony

SakurauchiRiko: Mari, Dia and Kanan are all coming

SakurauchiRiko: But it wouldn’t be the same if you didn’t come as well

TheFallenAngel: Of course Yohane will be present!

TheFallenAngel: It behooves any fallen angel to celebrate the achievements of her little demons

SakurauchiRiko: That’s good to hear

SakurauchiRiko: The details are in the group chat

SakurauchiRiko: Be sure to reply so everyone knows you’re coming

SakurauchiRiko: And we’ll see you at the ceremony

SakurauchiRiko: I’m looking forward to it!

TheFallenAngel: As am I

SakurauchiRiko: Have a good night

TheFallenAngel: You as well

Yoshiko sighed as she set her phone back down on the table. This wasn’t going to be easy, she thought, glancing between it and the letter. Writing the letter had helped sort out her feelings a bit and she was glad for that. But for now, she figured she should probably just find a place to keep it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Perhaps a bit more on the bittersweet side than the others? Well, perhaps not too bitter as anyone who has read the other scenes knows some of what comes later. As for where Riko’s feelings lie at this point in the timeline, that is honestly something with which I am still working. I’ve never written something like this before, so it’s taking longer to get things where I want them.
> 
> Lastly, might this be the painting to which Yohane refers?
> 
>  


	7. The Apartment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riko wants out of her dorm, but the apartment she finds is too big for just her alone. Thus, she finds herself in the market for a roommate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~1.6k  
> Rating: G  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Near the end of Riko’s first year of college and Yohane’s third year of high school  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone
> 
> I must admit that it feels a little strange posting two HL scenes in a row instead of swapping back and forth between it and HtHaN like I have as of late. But, I’ve hit a wall on three HtHaN scenes now and this is the one my fickle µ’s muse has allowed me to finish. And happy fanfic is happy fanfic, and I love writing it, so I’m not going to complain.

SakurauchiRiko: Yoshiko-chan

TheFallenAngel: Yohane!

Riko jumped, not expecting the immediate response.

SakurauchiRiko: You’re moving to Tokyo next year, right?

TheFallenAngel: Yup!

TheFallenAngel: Well, it’s that or commute from here

TheFallenAngel: But I’d like to be a bit more local if I can

TheFallenAngel: And I’m going to the same school as you, remember?

Of course Riko knew this last point; it was why she contacting Yoshiko in the first place. The younger girl had expressed interest for a while now about majoring in fashion design with a minor in business. She was already dreaming big about opening her own shop with a focus on her favored fallen angel style. You and Ruby were immediate supporters, wanting to help where they could, even if just posing as models for new design lines. And as luck would have it, one of the best schools in the area was the same one Riko was already attending.

TheFallenAngel: Why?

SakurauchiRiko: Are you planning on living in a dorm?

TheFallenAngel: Probably

TheFallenAngel: Why?

Riko took a slow breath before typing the next message.

SakurauchiRiko: I was wondering if you might want to move in with me instead

Unlike earlier, there was now a significant delay before Yoshiko’s reply came through.

TheFallenAngel: The little demon Riri wants the Great Yohane to live with her?

Riko couldn’t help chuckling. But despite the response not being all that surprising, it wasn’t really the answer she was seeking.

SakurauchiRiko: My parents and I found a really nice apartment that I will be moving into at the start of the next term

SakurauchiRiko: And I’d be fine living there on my own, but it’s a three-bedroom unit

SakurauchiRiko: That’s really too much space for just one person

SakurauchiRiko: So I thought it would be nice to have a roommate

TheFallenAngel: Three bedrooms?

TheFallenAngel: No kidding that’s too much

TheFallenAngel: Why the heck were you looking at three-bedroom apartments in the first place?

SakurauchiRiko: We weren’t

SakurauchiRiko: A friend of a friend of the previous tenants recommended this place

SakurauchiRiko: They thought it might appeal to me

SakurauchiRiko: And they were right

TheFallenAngel: So who else would be joining us?

SakurauchiRiko: Nobody

TheFallenAngel: So one room would be like a guest room or something?

SakurauchiRiko: Not quite

SakurauchiRiko: Though I suppose we could keep a futon in there for guests if we wanted

SakurauchiRiko: But the reason I like this particular apartment is because one of the rooms is soundproofed

SakurauchiRiko: I can bring my piano

SakurauchiRiko: And not have to compete for time on the ones at school

TheFallenAngel: So you’d get two rooms?

Riko laughed at the question, though it was certainly a fair one.

SakurauchiRiko: Technically, yes

SakurauchiRiko: But I’d be willing to let you have the master bedroom in exchange

SakurauchiRiko: You’d get your own bathroom

SakurauchiRiko: And a bigger closet

SakurauchiRiko: And of course you’d be welcome to use the music room as well

TheFallenAngel: Riri makes a tempting offer

TheFallenAngel: But you still didn’t answer my question

TheFallenAngel: Why me?

TheFallenAngel: Why does Riri want Yohane to live with her?

Riko pursed her lips. Part of her knew this question would come up and she wished she had a better answer. Truth be told, she wasn’t entirely sure herself. Why had Yoshiko been the first to come to mind when her parents asked her about possibly looking for a roommate? Was the fact that they would be attending the same school again really the only reason?

“I miss seeing you” she started typing but paused before sending it. She stared at the words on the screen. Should she be that specific? For that matter, did she really miss Yoshiko any more than anyone else from Aqours?

TheFallenAngel: Riri?

Riko blinked, noticing the timestamps between Yoshiko’s messages. Had she really been thinking that long about how to respond?

SakurauchiRiko: I miss seeing everyone

TheFallenAngel: Having trouble making friends in college?

As the conversation was only text, Riko was not sure if Yoshiko was attempting to tease her or genuinely concerned. A small part of her believed the former, but most of her hoped for the latter.

SakurauchiRiko: Not really

She replied as honestly as possible

SakurauchiRiko: I’ve made some new friends

SakurauchiRiko: But I’m not sure if I’d want to live with any of them

SakurauchiRiko: And definitely not any of my current neighbors

SakurauchiRiko: I’ll be glad to move out of here after finals

TheFallenAngel: Yeah, I’ve read that happens sometimes

TheFallenAngel: More often during the first year

TheFallenAngel: Don’t tell anyone else this

TheFallenAngel: This is just between Riri and Yohane

TheFallenAngel: But I’ve been kind of worried about that myself

TheFallenAngel: Not getting along with those around me in a dorm

Riko smiled sympathetically. So, Yoshiko hadn’t been teasing her; she had concerns of her own.

SakurauchiRiko: Worried about what they might think about you being a fallen angel?

TheFallenAngel: Exactly!

TheFallenAngel: And that’s why I’m tempted to take you up on your offer

TheFallenAngel: Riri already knows Yohane

Riko waited for a few moments, but nothing more came.

SakurauchiRiko: But…?

TheFallenAngel: I guess I just don’t want to bother you

At that Riko couldn’t help but chuckle. Even though Yoshiko continued to cling to her fallen angel persona through her final year of high school, and with as much bravado as she exuded about it, she still worried about it.

SakurauchiRiko: I wouldn’t have made the offer to you if I thought you would be annoying to live with

SakurauchiRiko: I think we’d be good roommates

Another pause.

TheFallenAngel: Very well then

TheFallenAngel: Yohane accepts the offer made by her favorite little demon, Riri!

Favorite? Riko read the message again. Surely, Yoshiko meant just favored, right? All of the girls that had been members of Aqours and Saint Snow were favored little demons of the self-proclaimed fallen angel. And that’s how Riko usually preferred things; being one of several, not standing out as a favorite. Despite this, the idea of being Yoshiko’s favorite didn’t sound all that bad. On the contrary, reading the message once again actually made her feel kind of good.

TheFallenAngel: But there is one condition if we are to share communal quarters

SakurauchiRiko: I’m not going to make a contract with you

SakurauchiRiko: Well, maybe one about rent and utilities

TheFallenAngel: That’s not what I was going to say!

TheFallenAngel: Anyway, the condition is

TheFallenAngel: Riri must refer to Yohane by her proper name!

Riko sighed. Somehow the request didn’t really surprise her. However, after almost three years of calling her by her given name, using another would be… wait, hadn’t she considered a nickname at some point? For the briefest of instances, Riko had thought about a name. A name that… came to her in a dream?

SakurauchiRiko: Yocchan

TheFallenAngel: What?

SakurauchiRiko: That’s what I’ll call you

TheFallenAngel: Oh

SakurauchiRiko: Is that alright?

Somewhere in the back of Riko’s mind, she knew the name would be accepted, though she knew not why, thus she had to be sure by asking.

TheFallenAngel: Yohane accepts this designation from Riri

TheFallenAngel: But only from Riri!

TheFallenAngel: No other little demon may use such a cute designation with Yohane!

Riko smiled. Yoshiko thought the name was cute. Good. It was supposed to be cute. A cute name for a cute girl. A weird cute girl, sure, but cute nonetheless.

SakurauchiRiko: Say, Yocchan

Using the name now, Riko found she liked it. Why hadn’t she used it back then?

SakurauchiRiko: Want to head up here sometime this weekend?

SakurauchiRiko: Check out the apartment? Get a feel for how much space you’ll have?

TheFallenAnge: Yes!

SakurauchiRiko: Maybe hang out and catch a meal or something after?

Riko laughed when she realized Yoshiko had responded quicker than she could finish her questions.

TheFallenAngel: My favorite shop is having a sale this weekend too

TheFallenAngel: We need to stop by Akihabara!

SakurauchiRiko: Sure, we can do that as well

TheFallenAngel: Awesome!

TheFallenAngel: The moon has waxed and waned far too many times since last Yohane saw Riri

SakurauchiRiko: Only once, I believe

TheFallenAngel: That’s still too many times!

Riko laughed again.

SakurauchiRiko: Well I’m free whenever, so let me know when you’re boarding the train

SakurauchiRiko: I’ll meet you at the station

TheFallenAngel: Will do

SakurauchiRiko: Well, back to studying for me

SakurauchiRiko: Have a good night, Yocchan

SakurauchiRiko: I’ll see you this weekend

TheFallenAngel: You too, Riri!

TheFallenAngel: I’m looking forward to it!

Riko smiled as she set her phone back down on her desk. That had gone quite well. And Yoshiko seemed to be looking forward to it as well. That was good.

Despite how much Riko had protested and resisted being drawn into the antics of her former subgroup, Guilty Kiss, nowadays, she found she often missed the excitement. Mari was still in Italy, but Yoshiko was coming here to Tokyo. Surely the younger girl would bring some of that old excitement along with her. And unlike those currently living around her, at least she knew what to expect out of Yoshiko.

And Yoshiko seemed to like the new nickname. She’d even granted Riko exclusive rights to use it. That was unexpected, but not completely unappreciated.

The redhead picked up her pencil and returned her focus on her studies, content in the knowledge that the next chapter of her life would be a happy one.

A hundred and twenty odd kilometers down the tracks, a blue-haired girl held a pillow to her face in a vain attempt to contain her squeals of joy.

Almost ten thousand kilometers away, a blonde looked up at the sky and grinned. Perhaps things were finally beginning to go as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few hints here at some of the worldbuilding I’ve been doing for HL as of late.
> 
> One point, in particular, is that I hadn’t realized how close the two timelines were; five years between µ’s and Aqours was smaller than I thought. Originally, I had Tanaka mention that “years ago,” tenants had soundproofed the apartment. But when I ran some comparisons of where I have planned events in my two fics, those two tenants would have been the most recent; Yohane and Riko are going to be touring through an apartment still filled with stuff from the other couple. So I guess a small retcon, in the way of phrasing, is in order.
> 
> Also, I am writing this with the assumption that the SS movie will not give us Riko calling Yohane by Yocchan. If, on the off chance, it does, I will probably rework this scene to accommodate.


	8. Fallen Towel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when a towel falls?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~1.5k  
> Rating: T  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: The evening after Yohane and Riko move in together  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone
> 
> As always, my ~~µ’s~~ muse continues her fickle ways. I actually started writing this scene before the previous one I posted.

“Yocchan!” a voice filtered through the bathroom door.

Yoshiko paused the game she was playing. “What’s up, Riri?” She called back.

“Could you come here for a moment?”

“Be right there.”

Odd. Yoshiko thought as she twisted herself off the couch. What could the older girl want?

Riko had been taking her bath, first, as she was the older of the two and Yoshiko had insisted. Yoshiko had been waiting patiently for her turn as even though she had her own restroom, the apartment only had one bath.

“I’m here.” Yoshiko rapped her knuckles against the door.

Immediately, the door slid open, almost as though Riko had been waiting just on the other side. And… oh gods, don’t stare! Don’t stare! With damp hair cascading over her shoulders and clad in nothing but a fluffy pink towel, Riko smiled at the younger girl.

Why is Riri…? Oh, for hell’s sake, you’re roommates now! This is normal, right? Maybe? And you’ve seen her in a towel before, at the hot springs. Heck, her bathing suits cover less. And you’ve changed alongside her when getting ready for both practices and performances. This is nothing! Just. Don’t. Stare.

“Yocchan?”

Yoshiko blinked back to reality. “Y-yes, Riri?”

“Did you bring a sewing kit with you when you moved in?”

“Yes…” Quite an extensive one, actually, as some of my classes require it.

“Have you unpacked it?”

“Yes…”

“Then, would you mind doing me a favor?”

“Of course!” Yoshiko quickly retreated behind her fallen angel persona. “Yohane stands ready to assist her favorite little demon.”

“A button just fell off of my sleepshirt.” Riko held out the garment in question. “I’d just get a different one, but that would mean digging though what I haven’t unpacked yet.”

“A task of such nature should not greatly exceed ten mortal minutes.” Yoshiko took the shirt. “Most certainly less than fifteen.”

“Perfect. That should give me enough time to dry my hair.” The redhead smiled again. “Thanks, Yocchan.”

“’Tis my pleasure.” The blue-haired girl gave a small bow and departed.

Riri’s shirt! Riri’s shirt! Yoshiko practically skipped back to her room. I’ll bet it looks really cute on her; pink really is her best color. It probably also smells like Riri. And with that button missing, if she were to wear it like this, you might be able see… Yoshiko felt heat rising in her cheeks. What the hell? A fallen angel doesn’t betray the trust of her little demons by imagining such things! Get ahold of yourself, Yohane! She tossed the shirt onto her bed so she could retrieve her sewing kit.

With practiced precision, Yoshiko secured the thread to a needle and began sewing. Despite certain thoughts continuing to distract her, she managed to reattach the button without pricking herself. Finally, without even putting away the kit, she hastily returned to the bathroom.

“Come in.” Riko replied from the other side in response to Yoshiko knocking.

This time, knowing what awaited her, Yoshiko steeled herself and opened the door. “The task has been completed!” She announced, sliding the door aside and entered.

“Thank you, Yocchan.” Riko stepped towards her roommate and accepted the shirt. “It’s kind of nice having a live-in tailor.” She chuckled, moving back to the vanity where she placed her pajama top. She then flipped her hair over her shoulder before reaching forward to where her towel was secured.

Time seemed to slow for Yoshiko as she watched Riko’s towel slide to the floor, allowing her a heavenly view of… Red alert! Shields up! Evasive maneuvers! Retreat! Retreat! Retreat!

It felt like an eternity as she spun herself around, aimed for the door and shoved herself forward. She even had enough time to realize she had misaimed herself and attempted a course correction. Unfortunately, she still ended up ramming her forehead into the frame.

“Geh…” Yoshiko grunted as she fell backward.

“Yocchan!” She heard Riko cry out in a panic.

“Ughn…”

“Are you alright?” She could hear the other girl kneel near her head. “How did you manage… Oh my! You’re bleeding!”

“Wha…?” Yoshiko opened her eyes. Holy hell! She squeezed them shut again, feeling her cheeks burn. “Riri… towel…” She groaned.

“In a moment.” The other girl stood again. “This is more important.” The sound of the medicine cabinet being opened could be heard. “Just, uhm, keep your eyes closed and don’t move.”

Yoshiko could hear Riko rummage through things, run the faucet for a moment, step back to her and kneel again.

“Alright, let’s do this first.” Riko brushed away Yoshiko’s bangs before pressing a cool and damp cloth to her forehead. A little while later, she removed it. “Alright, that’s not all that bad, but just to be sure.” She seemed to be talking more to herself than to Yoshiko as she pressed the cloth down again for a few minutes. “Ok, this part is going to sting a bit, Yocchan.”

“Mmm…” Yoshiko responded before clenching her jaw as the disinfectant was applied.

“And we finish with a bandage.” Riko explained, unnecessarily, before securing the adhesive strip. She then got back up and Yoshiko could hear the shuffling of cloth. “Uhm… you can open your eyes again, Yocchan.”

Blinking to readjust to the light, Yoshiko found herself looking up at the outstretched hand of a towel-clad Riko. Why the heck hadn’t she just put on her sleepshirt? She stared at the hand for a moment before accepting the help back to her feet.

“Are you alright, Yocchan?” Riko inquired, tightening her grip on the other girl’s hand when she wobbled a bit unsteadily.

“I’m… fine… uhm, thanks, Riri. And, uhm, sorry… I didn’t mean to, uhm… sorry…” Yoshiko let go and shuffled out of the room.

“You sure?” A concerned voice followed her.

“… Yeah…” She headed for the living room where she collapsed on the couch. Silently, she picked up her controller and unpaused her game. Not more than a minute later, she groaned and tossed it on the cushion beside her as she had just made a stupid mistake that cost her avatar its life. At least she had saved recently.

Sighing, Yoshiko leaned back. Her head throbbed physically, and vivid images raced through her mind against her bidding. What the heck had Riko been thinking? Was Yoshiko so unimportant to her that she simply forgot she was there? No. There was no way that was true. At least Yoshiko hoped it wasn’t true. Maybe… now that they were living together, Riko was just that comfortable around her? That didn’t quite seem right either; they hadn’t even been in the apartment a full day together yet.

So what the hell had just happened? Well, whatever it was, Yoshiko knew for certain what would be filling her dreams for the next few nights.

Back in the bathroom, Riko stared at herself in the mirror as she reviewed the occurrences of the last few minutes. Strange. Why hadn’t she shoved Yoshiko out the moment she realized she was still there? Surely, she would have done so to anyone else, right? And though she was thoroughly embarrassed, she wasn’t really all that upset, and definitely not angry with her new roommate. Yoshiko had been sincere in her apology… but… apology…

Yoshiko thought it had been her fault. That wasn’t right. It had been Riko who had been careless. Yoshiko was just trying to do the right thing. And was injured in the process.

“I should apologize.” Riko murmured to her reflection.

She glanced over at the door, ensuring it was closed before undoing her towel again and changing into her newly repaired sleepshirt. After making sure everything was in order, she headed to the living room. There, she found Yoshiko grumbling and snarling at the Game Over screen of her game.

“Yocchan…” Riko ventured softly.

“Oh, Riri,” the blue-haired girl startled and turned toward the redhead “I, uh, didn’t see you there.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Wh-what are you apologizing for, Riri?”

“For what happened, just now. It was my fault. And I’m sorry.”

Yoshiko opened her mouth, likely to refute, but paused as her gaze met Riko’s.

“Are we… good?” Riko asked after a moment of silence between them.

“Y-yes, of course!” Yoshiko sputtered. “I mean, it’s all fine, right? It’s just like when we went to the hot springs. And we’re both girls, after all. It’s fine, right?”

Riko wondered if the younger girl realized that she had just uttered a phrase that had been used in yuri manga so often it was pretty much cliché at this point. That was just a coincidence, right? Yoshiko wasn’t a fan of yuri manga, so she wouldn’t understand the implications, right?

“Alright.” Riko said before taking a breath. “Well, the tub is yours. I’m going to make myself a snack and read for a bit before I head to bed, do you want me to make something for you as well?”

“Anything Riri makes will be good.” Yoshiko said with a smile as she seemed to relax a bit. “So, bath time for Yohane.” She pushed herself off the couch.

“See you in a bit.” Riko said as the other girl passed.

“Yohane shall look forward to Riri’s tasty treats.” Yoshiko replied before disappearing into the bathroom.

As Riko headed to the kitchen her thoughts turned again to what had happened. Given Yoshiko’s occasional clumsy nature and dismal luck, something like that was undoubtedly going to happen again in the future. And for some reason, Riko realized it didn’t really bother her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I realize the title probably gives away the main point of the plot, but I like it better than the working title of just Towel. Fallen Towel keeps more with the overall angelic and fallen angel motives of the fic. And calling it Angelic Towel just sounded wrong to me.
> 
> I also have no idea if one and a half bathrooms is a common thing in Japanese apartments. But I also have no idea how common three-bedroom apartments are either. Or landlords who allow soundproofing to be installed. Or suddenly allow pets (spoilers?) Or…
> 
> It may or may not be worth mentioning that the towel itself is part of a housewarming gift from one of the girls’ parents. I tried to include some exposition in the scene itself about how set included sakura pink for Riko and heather grey for Yohane, but every attempt just felt like a wedged-in bit of useless information. Perhaps someday I’ll come back to this part of the timeline and write a scene or two about the actual moving process.
> 
> Also, possibly worth mentioning, is that I originally wanted Yohane to hide behind her fallen angel persona a second time near the end of the scene. However, I wrote half a dozen different versions of that part and none of them felt right. Maybe I’ll retcon it later. Maybe I won’t. But for now, it’s fine as it is, I hope.
> 
> Finally, yes Riko might have behaved a little out of character for a little while here. But that is kind of the point. And both girls realize the change and are now thinking about it. I would say “Let the fantasizing begin!” but Yoshiko has already been doing so for a couple years by this point. And while I know Riko is also doing her fair share, I am currently uncertain how prevalent a certain blue-haired girl has become in said fantasies. Though I am certain that she will become more prevalent after this.


	9. Angelic Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riko had a rough day and Yohane has a new game to play.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~2.8k  
> Rating: K  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: First day of Riko’s 2nd and Yohane’s 1st year of college  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone
> 
> Writing Revelations and My Angel got me thinking about scenes that might lead up well to them. This is the first resulting scene.

Ughn… what a day… Riko sighed as she got off the train and started walking toward her apartment. First, she had missed her train in the morning so she was late for her first class. Then, she had foolishly answered a trick question of one of her professors, embarrassing herself in front of the class. Next, her class right before lunch had gone over its scheduled time, leaving her with little time to eat.

It was also then that she realized she had forgotten her lunch on the counter. However, her saving grace was that Yoshiko had found it on her way out and brought it to her. And even though she still had to shove it down before her next class, it had been a small oasis of happiness in the midst of the chaos. After that…

Riko continued to a mental replay of her dismal first day of the new term. She was tired, both physically and mentally. She was tired of dealing with people. She was tired of dealing with crowds. All she wanted to do was curl up on the couch with one of her favorite manga books and forget the rest of the world existed.

“Welcome home, Riri!” An excited voice called from within the apartment as Riko opened the door. A moment later, a blue-haired bundle of energy bounded around the corner.

“Hey, Yocchan.” Riko felt a smile turn up the edges of her lips and some of her tension eased at the warm greeting.

“I was just about to send you a message on LINE to see if you had plans for dinner.”

“I’ll get things started in a moment.”

“Are you sure?” Yoshiko tilted her head as concern tinged her voice. “You look kinda tired.”

“I’ll be fine. Cooking will help take my mind off things.”

“Not a good day?”

“Could have been better.” Riko decided not to go into full detail. “How was yours?”

“Let it be known that on this darkest of days,” The fallen angel began to announce with pride as she held her signature gesture up to her eye “Yohane’s fate may have become entwined with some wonderfully wicked little demons.”

Riko chuckled. “Let me guess, in your drama class?”

“Of course! Where better to find them?”

“It’s good to hear that you’re making friends.”

“But you aren’t?” The hint of concern returned.

“I’m still in touch with the friends I made last year. We’ll see how things go this year, but that was only the first day.” Riko shrugged. “And if nothing else, I can still come here and see you.”

“True.” Yoshiko nodded. “Anyway, a new game was released in one of my favorite series, and I just put the disk in when you came in, so I’m going to get back to that. Let me know if you change your mind and want help with making dinner.”

“Will do. Thanks, Yocchan.”

Yoshiko displayed a wide and toothy grin before heading back to the living room.

* * *

“Dinner is ready!” Riko called.

“Smells delicious.” Yoshiko replied, appearing quickly, almost as if magically summoned. She took her seat and clapped her hands together. “Itadakimasu!” She declared happily before holding out her plate.

Riko laughed lightly at her roommate’s enthusiasm as she ladled out a serving to her.

Yoshiko’s chopsticks snapped up an impressive portion and shoved it into her mouth. “Mmmm!” She hummed merrily. “It is even more delicious than it smelled!” She took another bite. “Had Yohane known the mortal realm held such delicacies, surely she would have fallen sooner.”

“Alright, now you’re just being dramatic.” Riko shook her head, though she couldn’t shake the smile she had, even if she had wanted to do so.

“But it is really good, Riri.” Yoshiko insisted. “Try it for yourself!” She held out her chopsticks.

Riko blinked. “I have my…” She realized the younger girl wasn’t paying attention to her attempted protest as she moved her chopsticks closer. Fine, whatever. She leaned forward and accepted the offer.

Wha…?

Riko resisted the urge to recoil as the tofu hit her tongue. Why was it so salty? And did she taste vinegar as well? Had the recipe even called for vinegar?

“Good, isn’t it?” Yoshiko said with a smile. “Riri is a good cook.”

Well, it wasn’t bad, per se, but it definitely was not what Riko had expected. Should she admit this fact to Yoshiko? She tried to think about what she might have done wrong as she chewed.

“It’s not bad.” Riko decided to admit after swallowing. “But I think I can do better.”

“Anything more delicious might end up becoming sinful.” Yoshiko said with a warning tone. “Riri had best be careful lest she fall.” She smirked. “Unless, of course, that’s what Riri wants.”

“I doubt I’m in danger of falling just yet.” Riko replied, taking the first bite from her own plate and deciding it was tolerable enough to finish. “But thanks for the compliment.” At least the younger girl seemed to be enjoying herself, despite whatever mistake had apparently been made. “So, Yocchan,” she decided to change the subject “tell me more about this drama class you decided to take.”

“Oh!” Yoshiko perked up even more. “Well, you see…”

The two girls continued to chat as they finished their meal. Then, since Riko had cooked, Yoshiko insisted she clean up, though Riko still helped a little. Finally, they both made their way to the living room.

“Ahhh…” Yoshiko sighed as she took a spot on the couch. “Yohane may have committed a deadly sin and overindulged a little.” She patted her belly and grinned. “But perhaps she can be forgiven as Riri prepared such a divine dish.”

“I’m glad you liked it.” Riko smiled as she sat down on the other side of the couch and opened her book.

“Mmm…” Yoshiko hummed as she put on her headphones and unpaused her game.

A moment later, Riko looked up from her manga. Something that sounded like swords clashing had caught her attention. Sure enough, Yoshiko was in the middle of an intense battle against a group she assumed were bandits or some sort of outlaws. Riko watched as the other girl deftly dodged their strikes before slipping behind one to deliver a devastating blow. The fight concluded with Yoshiko as the victor and shortly after, a cutscene began. Though Riko could read the subtitles on the screen, she found herself straining to hear the voices coming out the tiny speakers of Yoshiko’s headphones.

“Yocchan…”

“Mmm?” The blue-haired girl paused the game. “What’s up, Riri?” She asked, turning to the redhead.

“Would you mind, uhm…”

“Oh, sorry. I know these are cheap,” she indicated the headphones “so there’s probably some sound leakage. I can turn it down.”

“No, that’s not it.” Riko shook her head. “Actually, I was wondering if you would mind switching the sound to the TV?”

Yoshiko blinked. “Well, I can, but I was trying to avoid distracting you, Riri.”

“It’s not distracting.” Riko set her book down on the end table. “In fact, that scene looked interesting, so I’d like to watch for a bit, if you don’t mind. And I’d like to hear the voices better for the next one.”

Yoshiko stared at Riko for a moment before a smile crossed her lips. “Alright.” She pulled the cord for the headset.

“So, would you mind filling me in with what I’ve missed?”

“Why don’t I just start a new game?”

“Oh, no, you don’t have to go that far…”

“I was going to soon anyway.” Yoshiko explained. “I was just playing through the tutorial to see if I might like the new class they introduced, but I definitely prefer the one I’ve used in all of the other games. I’d’ve finished that fight a lot easier if I was playing my normal class. Plus the opening cinematic is awesome and gives a good summary of the last few games so even people new to the series can just start playing without feeling completely lost. And Riri is kinda like a new player, so, yeah.”

“You’re sure you don’t mind?”

“Not at all.” Yoshiko grinned as she quit out to the main menu. “And if you want, you can help me design my character.”

“Design?”

“Yup. See?”

“You can play as a woman?”

“Uh-huh.” Yoshiko nodded as she made the selection. “I was just playing as a guy earlier because I didn’t want to bother with this part for a character I probably wasn’t going to keep, so I just took the default. But I usually play female characters because they get the best outfits.”

“They do?”

“Yeah, like, uhm…” Yoshiko reached for her phone. “I saved a shot of one of my favorites from the last game because I want to try to make it someday.” She found the picture and turned the screen to Riko.

“It’s lovely… but… how does that even work?”

“I dunno.” Yoshiko admitted with a shrug. “I’ll find out when I design it.”

“How do you fight in it?”

“No idea.”

“Would that even be comfortable?”

“Dunno. But it looks awesome.”

“I suppose…”

“Anyway, this game has even better graphics and according to the advertising, there are even more outfits that can be unlocked than in the last game.” Yoshiko grinned. “I can’t wait to see them. Ooo, how about this color for the hair?”

“It looks like your hair color.”

“Exactly.” Yoshiko grinned. “Seems fitting of a fallen angel.”

“They made a fallen angel class?” Riko raised an eyebrow.

“No, no, silly Riri.” Yoshiko laughed. “However, there is an angelic race. Sadly, they haven’t made it available as a playable one yet. Anyway, I’ll be playing a subrace of elf that was exiled from the high elves, so they kinda have the fallen vibe going for them. Oh, and she’ll be a warlock, and so she’ll have a bunch of magic spells powered by darkness and chaos and whatnot, which would of course be appropriate for a fallen angel.”

“So you’ve figured out a way to make your own version of a fallen angel in this game.”

“Pretty much.”

“Is that why you like it so much?”

“Well, it’s a nice bonus.” Yoshiko admitted. “But it is still a really fun game with an awesome story. Anyway, here is the initial setup.” She pointed to the screen. “How does she look? Anything you want me to change? Don’t worry about the outfit just yet, that’s just what we start with. I’ll find something better soon.”

Riko studied the character on screen for a moment. “It… I mean she… really looks like you…” She found herself impressed with the level of detail and how well Yoshiko had manipulated the settings to create what she wanted. And if she was to be entirely honest, the character was kind of cute. Almost as cute as the girl she represented. “Except she’s missing…”

“Yeah, I know. Unfortunately, even with all of the hairstyle choices they programed in, they neglected to include a conduit.”

“Conduit?”

Yoshiko reached up to tap her bun. “The conduit through which a fallen angel draws her powers.”

“Ah…”

“So, on to the intro.” Yoshiko accepted the settings. “If you have any questions, just ask. Oh, and say, Riri, you know romance type stuff, right?”

“I… wha?” Where did that question come from?

“Pretty much all of the companions have optional romance side quests.” Yoshiko explained, pausing the scene so they wouldn’t miss anything. “Your actions through the game and your conversations with them affect how they feel about you, and if you do things right, you can choose one, or more, as romantic partners.” She smirked. “I’m willing to bet you’ll like some of those cutscenes, Riri, considering your tastes.” She jutted a thumb in the direction of the bookshelf that held some of Riko’s manga collection.

Riko felt herself blush a bit.

“Anyway, I’ve never been good at those things, so I’ve always just skipped them, but there is one companion in this game that I’d really like to get and make my partner if I can. So, maybe Riri can use her knowledge of romance type stuff to help?”

“Maybe…” Riko had to admit the concept sounded interesting. She hadn’t expected a fantasy adventure type game to have romantic subplots and found herself curious how they might play out.

“She appears in the intro.” Yoshiko unpaused the game again. “I’ll point her out.”

“Alright.”

The intro began to describe a war-torn world with multiple races, factions, kingdoms and empires. It touched on the various alliances that had formed and fallen apart over the years and the friction that existed between… well, pretty much everyone. While at first glance, it felt like the typical setup for an action-packed adventure game, Riko had the feeling there was a lot of passion that went into the world building of the project.

“There she is!” Yoshiko suddenly said as a crimson-haired woman appeared on the screen.

Riko shifted her attention to the character. Strange. Other than the hair color, she looked rather similar to all of the other characters; nothing really set her apart from… oh… Suddenly, a pair of brilliant white wings sprouted from the woman’s back and in a flurry of flaps and feathers, she was borne aloft.

“Oooo, she’s so cool!” Yoshiko practically squealed with delight. “I wish you could play as someone from her race, but I can understand why they didn’t implement it; the whole thing about being able to fly would probably be game breaking early on. Still, they did include it in some of her side quests. Apparently, she carries you, but you get to control the flight. Oooo… I can’t wait to get her as a companion! The beta testers were talking about how difficult it is to gain rep with her, but they were pretty sure there was some sort of hidden bonus if you played as a female character, so I have that at least. And with Riri’s help, Yohane might even be able to make her my partner!”

Riko couldn’t help smiling as Yoshiko’s excitement began to feel a little contagious. Once the opening cinematic had concluded, Yoshiko proved her earlier point by completing the tutorial fight in less than half the time of her first run and moved on to new parts of the game. But despite Riko finding herself enjoying the bits of plot scattered between battles, she quickly realized she was far more interested in watching the girl playing than the game itself. The way she carefully considered her speech options, or how she gleefully dispatched dozens of lesser foes with her spells, or how intensely she concentrated during tougher boss battles, it was all fascinating. Who knew video games were this interesting, or more specifically, watching someone play them?

* * *

Riko felt a yawn come up and was unable to contain it. She glanced at her phone. When had it become so late? Had she really been that lost in watching Yoshiko play her game? Not that really minded, it had been quite an entertaining experience.

“Yocchan.”

“Mmm?”

“I’m going to go get ready for bed. I didn’t realize…” Riko was interrupted by another yawn “the time. And I have class in the morning.”

“Alright, just let me save…. and… there.” The game returned to the main menu.

“Oh, you don’t have to stop playing. I didn’t mean…”

“It’s fine. Did you like watching?”

“I did.” Riko nodded.

“Then Yohane doesn’t mind waiting for Riri before playing again so nothing important is missed.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yup.” Yoshiko grinned. “I have plenty of other games I can play when you’re not available. Plus, I’m really hoping Riri can help me with that companion. I hope she is introduced soon. If she was an optional companion and not introduced during the main story, I would have hoped someone would have said something online by now…”

“Alright.” Riko returned the smile before getting up to go take her bath. “Oh.” She paused and turned back to her roommate. “Thank you, Yocchan.”

“Hm?” The younger girl tilted her head questioningly.

“For an enjoyable evening. I needed that after today.”

“It is a fallen angel’s duty to ensure the well-being and happiness of her little demons.” Yoshiko held up her signature gesture.

“Right. Of course. Anyway, I’ll be out in a bit and you can have your turn.”

“Alright.”

Riko continued to smile as she stepped into the bathroom and began to fill the tub. Even in their short time living together, Yoshiko continued to prove herself a good choice in roommates. Riko wondered if the younger girl realized the effect she had. For someone claiming to be a fallen angel with dismal luck, she maintained a fairly positive energy that filled the apartment with a welcoming aura. And because of that, during the last week or so, Riko had felt something she hadn’t felt since moving out of her parents.

Riko eased herself into the water and sighed contently. She felt relaxed. She felt happy. She felt at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah… Yohane is taking a drama class now. That idea came to me literally as I reached that point in writing the scene. But I like it and it has already given me more ideas to play with for future scenes. I can see her combining assignments from both drama and design classes by designing costumes for a play. I can see her convincing Riko to play the piano in the orchestra for a play. I can even go further into the timeline and see her helping out at a local theater after she opens her shop; designing costumes, taking minor roles here and there, and still wrangling Riko in for some fun as well.
> 
> Also, the working title for this scene was Home, but as I ended up getting carried away with the part about Yohane’s game, I changed it. Perhaps later I will write a different scene with another way that Yohane makes Riko feel at home in the apartment they share. Or maybe I’ll flip it and show how Riko makes Yohane feel at home. As always, I’ll see where my ~~µ’s~~ muse takes me.
> 
> And on the topic of feeling at home and being comfortable and such, this scene is the first of what I hope to be several that touch on the ideas I mentioned in my set of Unsent love letters. For example, in Riko’s letter, she mentions being grateful for Yohane’s unusual tastes, so I wanted to show Yohane enjoying one of Riko’s mistakes. Riko also mentions watching Yohane get excited playing video games, thus what ended up being the central theme in this scene. And finally, the aura and energy that Yohane brings to the apartment. I’d like to extrapolate out some stuff from the other main letters as well at some point to showcase what Maki loves about Nico, what Nico loves about Maki and what Yohane loves about Riko.
> 
> Finally, I’m not exactly sure what game Yohane is playing. Maybe some sort of mix of Skyrim, Dragon Age and the like. It’s a fantasy game. It has swords and sorcery. Definitely has elves and dwarves and gnomes and trolls and orcs. Probably a dragon or two or three. And an angel companion who I may or may not get around to naming… would it be too blatant to name her Sakura?


	10. A Roost for Weary Wings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riko isn't the only one who feels at home in the apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~2.6k  
> Rating: K  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: The end of the the first week of Yohane’s 1st and Riko’s 2nd year of college  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone
> 
> I actually wrote this scene pretty much entirely backwards. As such, forgive any disjointed transitions. I think I fixed them all, but sometimes I worry.

Yoshiko grinned as she heard the door open. “Welcome home, Riri!” She called happily.

“I’m home, Yocchan.” A tired response came back.

As much as Yoshiko wanted to continue her recently developed habit of meeting her roommate in the entry, she was in the middle of an important task.

“Yocchan?” Riko inquired a moment later as she entered the kitchen. “What are you…?”

“Riri has cooked every meal since we moved so now it’s Yohane’s turn!” The blue-haired girl proclaimed proudly, sparing one hand to make her signature gesture by her eye.

“But…”

“A fallen angel must take pride in sharing with her little demons, the burdens of daily mortal life.”

“Hrm…”

That was not quite the reaction Yoshiko had anticipated, and certainly not the one she sought. Had Riko truly been looking forward to cooking? Had Yoshiko messed up and deprived her roommate of something she enjoyed?

Riko’s gaze scanned the counter. “Is it… normal?” She inquired.

Oh. That was her concern. As much as Yoshiko hated to admit it, that wasn’t a completely unfair question.

“Try for yourself!” Yoshiko held out a spoonful of what she had been mixing in her bowl.

The trepidation was clear on Riko’s face as she examined the food being presented to her.

“Yohane’s Special Deviled Egg Salad, custom tailored to appeal to denizens of the mortal realm!”

Slowly, Riko leaned forward, closed her eyes, opened her mouth, and after a moment of hesitation, finally accepted the sample. Immediately, her eyes snapped open and she began to chew.

“Yocchan…” She said after swallowing. “That was…”

“Good, right?” Yoshiko grinned, forcing pride to hide her fear of rejection.

“Really good.” The older girl confirmed with a nod.

True, unforced pride surged forth to bury all traces of Yoshiko’s prior concerns. “Yohane knows Riri likes hard boiled eggs and sandwiches, so she thought she might combine them.” She smirked. “With a fallen angel’s twist, of course.”

“You know my favorites?”

“But of course! A fallen angel should always pay attention to the desires and vices of her little demons.” Yohsiko explained. “And Yohane is proud to say she knows how to make the favorites of all of her elite little demons.”

“Really?”

“Indeed.” The blue-haired girl confirmed. Well, in truth, Yoshiko still struggled a bit with Dia’s flan, but she didn’t feel the need to point that out at this time. “But Riri has good taste with hers. And since she has had such a long week, Yohane felt a favorite or two might help her relax.”

A gentle smile crossed the redhead’s lips before she stepped forward and pulled the younger girl into a hug. “Thank you, Yocchan.”

If her heart had wings, surely Yoshiko’s would be soaring through the skies by now. Riko was hugging her! And had initiated it! And it wasn’t a wrestling hold type of hug she used when Yoshiko’s teasing went a little too far.

“Y-you’re w-welcome, Riri…” Geez, why was she stuttering?

“What else am I smelling…” Riko sniffed as she released the hug and stepped away. “Chocolate?”

“Yup.” Yoshiko glanced at the timer, grateful to have regained control yet missing the contact. “It’s almost done baking. I figured it could cool while we eat and do some other stuff and I can frost it later tonight for a late dessert.”

“You baked?”

“One of the fallen angel’s greatest temptations: Devil’s Food Cake.”

“… Of course…” Riko chuckled.

“Custom tailored for mortals and little demons alike.”

“But with a fallen angel’s twist?”

“’Twould be a sin to do elsewise!”

Both girls laughed.

“Do you need me to help with anything?” Riko asked.

Yoshiko shook her head. “I’m almost done.”

“Maybe set the table?”

“Oh, sure, yeah, you can do that.”

“Alright.”

That said, Riko headed to the cupboards to retrieve plates and glasses while Yoshiko returned to preparing the food.

“Ooo, strawberries.” Riko commented a few minutes later, as she spotted the dish Yoshiko brought out along with the plate of sandwich wedges.

“They were on sale so I couldn’t resist.” Yoshiko admitted.

“And I know Yocchan likes strawberries.” Riko chuckled. “And chocolate. You’re not the only one who knows her friends’ favorites.”

Yoshiko almost dropped the dishes in her hand at the sight of Riko’s wink. She quickly returned a smile and prayed to whatever deity might listen that the older girl didn’t notice her near fumble. Then, after setting everything down between the two place settings, she took her seat.

“Itadakimasu!” Yoshiko said, clapping her hands together.

“Itadakimasu.” Riko mimicked the gesture. She then reached forward for a slice, but paused when she noticed something. “Is that… a pentagram?”

“An ancient magic circle.” Yoshiko corrected, indicating the arrangement of garnishes around the sandwiches. “To guide the flow of the darkest of magics and fortify the flavor to its fullest.”

“… Is it safe to, uhm… disrupt it?”

“The ritual was completed at itadakimasu, so we’re good.”

“I see.” Riko finally took a sandwich.

For her part, Yoshiko grabbed a strawberry and took a sizable bite. She hummed happily as she chewed, enjoying the pleasant, but not overwhelming sweetness. Before taking a second bite, she glanced at the girl across from her and was thrilled to see a content smile.

“This really is good.” Riko said, meeting her roommate’s gaze. “I never knew Yocchan had such talent in the kitchen.”

Yoshiko grinned. “Yohane has many talents Riri doesn’t know about.”

“Well, now that we’re living together, perhaps I’ll get to see them?”

“Perhaps. But a fallen angel has to have some secrets.”

Riko laughed and the two girls continued their meal while chatting about the day.

“Gonna start studying?” Yoshiko asked after the two had finished cleaning up. “The cake still needs some time to cool so I can come back to that later.”

“Hmmm…” Riko thought for a moment. “It’s a Friday, so I have all weekend… I think… Yeah, I’m going to take a break tonight and spend some time on the piano. I haven’t been able to play for fun in a while.”

Yoshiko perked up at this. “Can I join you?”

Riko blinked, as though not expecting the question. “Sure, I don’t see why not.” Then a smile came to her lips. “I haven’t had an audience in a while, but it’d be nice to have it be someone I know.”

“Then lead the way, Angel, to the Music of the Night!”

“A-Angel?” Pink dusted Riko’s cheeks.

“Angel of Music?”

“I-I… uhm… It’s not night j-just yet, Yocchan.” The redhead sputtered as the two entered the music room. “And I haven’t played Phantom before.”

“Oh. That’s fine.”

“Although, I suppose… if you’d like, I could look into finding the score for piano sometime.” Riko offered. “But I’d need to practice it a bit.”

“Yohane will listen to whatever Riri wants to play.” The blue-haired girl assured as she found a comfortable place to sit that also provided a good view of the pianist.

“Alright, let’s see what I have…” Riko lifted the lid of the bench and began searching through the stacks of sheet music. “Ah, this one is good.” She set her selection on the music rack. “How about Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor?”

Yoshiko tilted her head.

“Trust me.” Riko smiled. “I know you’ve heard this one.” She took a slow breath, positioned her hands above the keys, paused, and…

Yoshiko’s eyes widened with immediate recognition. She had never known the official name of the tune, but it was used everywhere from haunted houses to Halloween cartoons, almost to the point of cliché. And, perhaps somewhat ironically, it had been used in an older movie production of Phantom. Still, Yoshiko had always loved it for its particularly haunting feel. And now, she had the honor of witnessing it performed by her favorite musician.

Wait… favorites. Yoshiko had made Riko’s favorite foods for dinner, and now Riko was playing music with Yoshiko’s tastes in mind. Thought the piece itself wasn’t her absolute favorite, it certainly ranked high. This realization made Yoshiko want to close her eyes, lean back and just bask in the splendor of sound surrounding her.

However, there was a far greater glory for her to observe; the lovely redhead herself. Riko’s fingers danced across the keys with a natural grace. Her smile was unlike any other she displayed elsewhere, one of relaxed and comfortable joy. It was quite clear to Yoshiko that Riko was far more focused on the feeling of the music flowing through her than on ensuring a perfect presentation of the piece. This wasn’t a professional concert, this was just Riko expressing her passion through the piano. And Yoshiko couldn’t take her eyes off her, even if she had wanted to do so.

As the last notes faded and Riko let her hands fall away from the keys, Yoshiko found herself wondering if she should applaud. It seemed odd since she was the only member of the audience, but at the same time, she had to show her appreciation somehow. Oh, what the heck. She brought her hands together.

“Thank you, Yocchan.” Riko turned to the younger girl with a smile. “I haven’t played that one in a while, so I’m sorry for all the mistakes.”

Yoshiko blinked. There had been mistakes? “I thought it was awesome.” She said as some of her confusion slipped into her tone.

“Thanks again.” Riko’s smile widened. “Uhm, I still want to play some more, but I want to shift genres a bit. Do you mind?”

“Yohane will listen to whatever Riri wants to play.” Yoshiko happily repeated.

Riko retrieved several more sheets of music, settled back down on the bench and began to play.

As Yoshiko continued to peacefully watch the performance, her thoughts began to drift. This had been one of the things to which she had looked forward back when Riko first offered the invitation to live together. Well, two, actually, as Yoshiko had definitely anticipated being able to listen to Riko play piano. However, it was the peacefulness and calm that Riko brought into her life, especially since they moved in together that appealed, greatly to her.

Certainly, Yoshiko enjoyed the excitement of her life, embracing her poor luck with her fallen angel persona, and this first week of college had been a blast. But then she came back to the apartment where she could come down. And Riko would be there with her gentle smile and calm aura. Obviously, this wasn’t to say Riko was always calm, on the contrary, she’d been known to get caught up in things quite often. Yoshiko learned back in high school how to push the right buttons to get a reaction out of the older girl. But for the most part, Riko was fairly collected and Yoshiko had always enjoyed her company.

As such, it was in moments like this that Yoshiko was glad she had decided to move in with the other girl. She still carried a torch for the redhead, and as their first night proved, she knew there would be challenges associated with it. However, she was fairly certain she could handle it; she’d dealt with misfortune and unusual circumstances all of her life. Besides, it was worth it. Seeing Riko smile and knowing she was living a happy life was worth anything. Being a part of that life made it all the better. Yes, she had definitely made the right choice.

Yoshiko had lost track of how many pieces had been played when Riko gave her a side glance and a smile before beginning a trilling opening to a new piece. Yoshiko knew she had heard the skittering scales before, but could not readily place them. Then, Riko’s left hand pounced on a powerful and driving melody.

Winged beings flew through Yoshiko’s mind, their swords and spells ready for battle against hordes of invading forces. The images were vivid as blades clashed and magics exploded. So vivid, in fact, that it felt like Yoshiko had been there; like she was seeing memories that had been buried and long forgotten. And it was glorious.

There was no stopping Yoshiko’s applause once the music had come to an end.

“Thanks. I thought you would like that one.” Riko chuckled.

“It sounded so familiar…” Yoshiko pondered.

“It’s been used in movies for ages. And commercials. And many other places.” The pianist explained. “The Ride of the Valkyries is quite a popular piece.”

“Valkyries.” The fallen angel snapped her fingers in realization. “That’s why I was thinking about angels and demons and stuff. Valkyries are kinda like angels, like guiding angels, leading the chosen warriors to Valhalla. To their roost for weary wings.”

“Roost for… wha?” Riko repeated.

“Roost for weary wings.”

“Are they chickens?”

Yoshiko laughed. “No, but they had wings… Or did they just have winged helmets?”

“Depends on the interpretation, I guess.” Riko shrugged.

“Maybe. But my point stands.”

“Hrm… How about a shelter for scattered souls?”

“One’s soul wouldn’t be scattered if kept in a phylactery.”

“A… a wha?” Riko asked in confusion.

“Sorry, sorry.” Yoshiko held up her hand in apology. “It’s a lich thing. Fantasy. Games. And all that… Uhm… anyway, I like that too; the shelter thing.” She nodded. “Both sound like a good place to go. A good home.” She grinned. “Like here.”

“Even though we’re not warriors or chickens.”

“No, but Yohane is a fallen angel and Riri could pass as an angel.”

Riko raised an eyebrow as her smile turned lopsided. “’Could pass?’”

Yoshiko smirked. “Certainly the most angelic of my little demons. Almost as though she fell as well.”

“I wouldn’t go that far. I’m pretty sure I’m just normal.” Riko laughed lightly. “But thanks for the compliment.”

Yoshiko pursed her lips. She had never been particularly fond of Riko’s low self-image. As far as she was concerned, Riko was amazing, and she wished the other girl could see herself in the same light. She was just about to push the issue more when Riko continued.

“Though I will agree with you about this place. It is a good home. It is a good place to come to rest one’s weary wings or soul or whatever.” Her expression became wistful. “But you know, I’ve actually been thinking about that a lot lately; since we moved in, actually.”

“Oh?”

“Mmm. And I’ve been wondering if I would feel the same about this place if I was here alone.”

Was Riko implying what Yoshiko thought she was implying? The blue-haired girl waited quietly for a moment in case there was more. When it became obvious nothing was coming, she spoke.

“I think Riri would have made this place quite welcoming to visit.” She offered. “I mean you do it now, and that’s why I like living here.” Because you’re here. She added silently.

“I think that’s just it, though. Having someone else around makes this place feel more like a home.” Riko’s smile grew. “And I’m happy that someone is you, Yocchan.”

Yoshiko’s heart skipped a beat. That sounded a little like a…

“Anyway, thank you for being a good audience.” Riko continued. “It was fun and I really needed to just play something of my own choosing, instead of what I have to for class. But now… I’m actually a little hungry…”

Hungry… Food… “Cake!” Yoshiko blurted. “I baked a cake!”

Riko chuckled. “Yes, I know you did. And if it’s not too much trouble, I think I’d like to try a piece.”

“No trouble!” Yoshiko jumped to her feet. “I’ll go frost it.”

“You don’t need to rush…”

Yoshiko shook her head. “Five minutes. Give me five minutes.”

“And maybe after, I can watch you play your game a bit more?”

“I’d like that.” Yoshiko agreed as she moved swiftly toward the door.

“Alright, it’s a plan. I’ll put things away here. See you in five.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First and foremost, to anyone reading these chapters in chronological order: Spoilers. I’ve been meaning to show Yohane making something palatable for a while now, since I’ve shown a disaster of hers in Angel Food. I’ve also written a bit about Riko’s cooking, directly showing a mistake in Angelic Game as well as implying that she is more consistent with her outcomes in Quirky Cooking.
> 
> Basically, I headcanon Yohane as being capable of producing higher quality results than Riko, but also fails more spectacularly. To use numbers, I’d set a scale of 0 to 10, with 5 being completely average, 10 being fantastic and 0 being inedible by most standards. Riko’s range would be something like 2 to 9, meaning she could make some simple mistakes that might tarnish a dish a bit, but she can also make a really good dish. And she averages out around 5 and 6. Yohane, on the other hand, gets a range of -2 to 12. As such, she could make something that would have Gordon Ramsay crying tears of joy, but she is just as likely to make something that might burn its way through the table like Alien blood, and any result in between.
> 
> As for the music in the scene, I couldn’t help laughing when [this anon asked](https://ryqoshay.tumblr.com/post/174635777842/having-finished-reading-reassurance-do-you-have) about Phantom showing up in HL, as I had literally written that part the day before. And I may come back to it later, as Riko may very well find the sheet music and learn to play some pieces for Yohane’s sake. Also, here is a clip of [Toccata and Fugue](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3aI7Oo3GMo) and one for [Ride of the Valkyries](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS7xXDy6plU), both on the piano. Though classical music may not be Yohane’s favorite genre of all time, I can still imagine her appreciating these two pieces. Of course, as she herself realizes, there may be a bit of bias due to the pianist. Just a bit.


	11. Hibagon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yohane brings a cat to the apartment for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~2.4k  
> Rating: K  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Shortly after Yohane and Riko move in together; 1st and 2nd years in college, respectively.  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone
> 
> It’s been too long since I’ve written YohaRiko, so I decided to focus on this one out of the half dozen scenes I started but never finished over the last month or so.

“Welcome home!” Riko called from within the apartment.

“Hey, Riri!” Yoshiko replied.

“Mrow?” A head poked out of Yoshiko’s bag.

“What was that?” Riko asked, coming around the corner into the entryway.

“Nothing!” Yoshiko quickly tried to shove the animal back in, but when she was unsuccessful, she turned away instead. “Nothing at all!”

“Yoshiko.” The redhead placed a hand on her hip.

The blue-haired girl tensed, obviously ready to counter with a name correction. However, after a moment, her shoulders slumped. No doubt she realized Riko was being serious by the fact that she had dropped the nickname. Sighing, Yoshiko slid her bag off her shoulder and knelt to set it down. As soon as she unzipped it, a small, calico cat jumped out, looked up at Riko and meowed.

“You know we’re not supposed to have pets here, right, Yocchan?”

“Just for a few days!” Yoshiko insisted. “I promise I’ll find a new home for him by week’s end! I’d hand him off to Zuramaru, but she’s not here.”

Riko chewed her lip as the cat sauntered forward to rub his cheek against her leg. When he looked up, she noticed he had one eye of blue and one of green.

“Awww… Hibagon likes you, Riri.”

“Hibagon?” Riko questioned as she knelt, unable to resist the urge to pet the animal.

“’Cause he’s got big, white feet and a brown face.” Yoshiko explained. “Or, mostly white feet and mostly brown face, but whatever.”

A war waged within Riko’s mind as concerns for breaking the rules of the apartment complex clashed against her own desires for having an animal companion again. She missed Prelude and thought about her often. Having a cat around, even for a few days, might satiate her yearnings, or possibly make them worse. Either way, she knew her roommate had been wanting a pet for years, and temporarily housing strays, or having friends do so for her, was her way of coping.

“Alright.” Riko said, after a moment. “Just for a few days.”

* * *

Riko opened her eyes at the sound of her alarm. Time to get… Something slid off her shoulder. She startled as a ball of black, tan and white fur rolled into her view before nimbly springing up on his legs.

“Hibagon?”

The young cat arched his back and leaned back onto his hind legs to stretch. After a wide yawn, he turned toward Riko and meowed. Instinctively, Riko reached out to scratch behind his ears. After a moment, Hibagon turned, jumped down from the bed and slipped out to the hallway.

Riko stared at the small crack of space provided by the slightly ajar door. Had she left that open last night? She didn’t think so. Strange… Dismissing the thought, Riko also slid out of bed and headed out of her room.

“Hibagon!” she heard her roommate greet their temporary boarder. “Where were you all night? I left my door open for your and everything!”

The cat mewled a response before jumping up into the blue-haired girl’s arms.

“What was that? You spent the night with Riri?” Yoshiko looked up to find a redhead staring at her.

“I’m…” Riko started. “not sure how he opened my door…”

“Hibagon is smart! And probably took advantage of his big paws.” Yoshiko responded before dropping her tone. “As should be expected of any familiar of the fallen angel, Yohane.” She probably would have made her signature gesture had she not had both hands full of kitty. “Anyway, it’s time for his breakfast.” She said, voice returning to normal as she turned toward the kitchen.

“I’ll make ours in a bit.” Riko replied before heading to the restroom to get ready for the day.

* * *

“I’m home!” A voice called into the apartment.

Hibagon’s head shot up, pushing away Riko’s hand. He then leaped from her lap and scampered toward the door.

“Welcome back, Yocchan!” Riko called, her cheerful tone discordant with her displeasure at the sudden lack of fuzzy warmth on her legs. She pushed herself up from the couch to move toward the entryway and greet her roommate.

“Hibagon! Hi!” Yoshiko giggled, already cradling the cat in her arms so as to shower him with affection by the time Riko rounded the corner.

“Any luck today?” The redhead inquired.

The blue-haired girl scrunched her nose. “One reply, but something about him didn’t feel right.”

“Hrm…”

Both girls jumped a bit at the sound of a knock coming from the door. Riko motioned toward the cat and Yoshiko quickly moved him out of view. Riko then glanced though the viewer to find their neighbor from across the hall.

“Hello…” Riko’s mind suddenly blanked on the woman’s name as she opened the door.

“Greetings, Sakurauchi-san.” The older woman smiled and bowed. “Shimizu, from the across the hall.”

“Yes, Shimizu-san, yes, I’m sorry.”

Shimizu shook her head. “Not a problem, we’ve only met a few times since you moved in.”

“Is… there something I can do for you?”

“I was going to ask about something I thought I saw, but, it looks like I was right.”

Riko’s heart jumped into her throat as their cat sped past her.

“Hibagon!” Yoshiko cried, hot on his tail. She skidded to a halt when she saw Shimizu.

“Why aren’t you an adorable little thing?” Shimizu cooed, kneeling. “And so friendly.” She chuckled as the cat practically petted himself against her hand. She laughed again as she looked up. “Don’t worry, you two, I’m not going to turn you in over this precious little kitty. Although, if you don’t mind…” She glanced to her sides quickly.

“Yes, of course.” Riko beckoned for her to enter.

Shimizu scooped up the cat and stepped inside. “So, Hibagon, was it? A fitting name for a polydactyl. On all four feet, it seems.” She inspected his rear paws. “How rare. And with odd eyes, no less. How long have you had this cutie?”

“I found him the other day on the street.” Yoshiko explained.

“Him?” She checked quick. “A male calico. He just keeps getting rarer.”

“I’ve been looking for signs and listings of a lost cat.” Yoshiko continued. “Or maybe just a new home for him.”

“So you’re not going to keep him?”

“…” Yoshiko didn’t answer aloud as she looked down at her feet.

“It is still against the rules…” Riko pointed out.

“True.” Shimizu nodded. “Hrm… Perhaps I can help.” She set down Hibagon and pulled out her phone. “Let me just snap a quick shot… and Send… there.” She looked back up at the two younger women. “My nephew is in the navy and every vessel in his fleet has a ship’s cat. I’ll have him ask around to see if any of them are looking… oh, that was quick.” She read the incoming message.

“Well, it looks like his captain has actually been hoping to retire their current cat, but is reluctant to do so until they find a suitable replacement. They’ll be in port at the end of the week, so he’d like to stop by, if that’s alright.”

“Hibagon as a ship’s cat?” Yoshiko performed her signature gesture. “A fitting duty for the familiar of a fallen angel.”

Shimizu smiled. “Alright, I’ll let you know the details later.” She knelt to pet the young cat once more. “In the meantime, take good care of this little one.”

“Of course!”

* * *

As far as Riko was concerned, the next few days flew by quickly. She started leaving her bedroom door open a crack because Hibagon quickly proved undeterred by it being closed and insisted on sleeping on her bed. Not that she minded.

Yoshiko, however, was not silent in her jealousy and did her best to spoil the cat and win over his favor. None of this was to say Hibagon wasn’t attached to Yoshiko. He followed her around the apartment and curled up on her lap or chest when she played her games. He even let her dress him up for some strange ritual for one of her streams. But he continued to prefer Riko’s bed over hers.

And all told, Riko was quite happy to have an animal around the home again. Even on days when she was first to return, there was someone to greet her. She enjoyed sitting and reading her manga while petting the purring ball of fur in her lap. And seeing how excited her roommate was about having a pet made her happy as well.

Then, all too soon, the fated day arrived. Not surprisingly, Hibagon was the first to notice the arrival of Shimizu’s nephew, even before he knocked. Even in the short few days he had been in the apartment, he had developed a routine of greeting everyone at the door. Riko had worried it might result in them being caught by their landlord, but that had thankfully not occurred.

“There he is!” The young man said happily as Riko opened the door. He was about to stoop to pet Hibagon but paused. “Oh, sorry, where are my manners? I am Shimizu Touma.” He bowed. “Excuse the intrusion.”

“It’s not a problem.” Riko replied. “Come in.”

“The captain sends his regards, by the way.” Touma said upon entry. “He wanted to come see our possible newest recruit as well, but being an officer, he has administrative duties to which he must attend.”

“Understandable.”

“Still, he is quite excited. He is fond of calicos in particular and believes them to bring good luck. As such, every ship’s cat he’s had has been one.”

“Your captain has good tastes.” Yoshiko stated.

“I would most certainly agree.” Touma nodded. “Well, unfortunately, I am also limited on time, so I won’t keep you. Let’s get this guy in here.” He knelt to guide the cat into the carrier.

“Oh, and here.” Yoshiko stepped forward, producing small a bag. “Hibagon loves these treats, and…” Her voice wavered for a moment and she turned her head away to clear her throat “and there are a few of his favorite toys in here as well.”

“You’re really going to miss him, aren’t you.” A statement more than a question that was offered with a gentle smile.

Tears were already pooling in Yoshiko’s eyes and she remained silent for fear that speaking would let them loose.

“We’ll both miss him.” Riko answered for the younger girl. “He was a wonderful addition to the household, even if only for the week.”

“Well, I’m not sure how much my aunt told you, but our fleet has always kept record of the activities our ship’s cats.” Touma explained. “Back in the day, it would have been a simple diary, but in today’s world of technology, we post everything online. Each cat gets their own account where we post pictures and stories fairly regularly. As soon as Hibagon’s site is set up, I will send you two a link so you can follow his adventures on the high seas.” His tone became a bit more dramatic during the last phrase, obviously trying to keep the mood light.

“Thank you. We’ll look forward to that.”

“And, I mentioned earlier that the captain wanted to come today, but was unable to do so.”

“Yes…”

“He will still want to meet the young women who have bestowed this gift upon him and his crew. So, keep an eye on the page for announcements of when we’ll be back in port here in Tokyo. If the timing works for you, drop us a message and we’ll get you on site for a tour of our ship. You can meet the captain and crew, and of course visit Hibagon. That sound good to you?”

“Very much so.” Riko nodded. “Again, thank you.”

“It is the least we can do.” Touma assured. “On behalf of the crew of the JS Hakumei, thank you for your generosity. We shall see you later.” With that, he bowed again, turned and left.

As soon as Riko closed the door, she heard sniffling behind her. She turned and offered a sympathetic smile to her roommate.

“I think we found a good home for him.” Riko said, pulling Yoshiko in for a hug. “And we’ll get to see him again soon. But I understand; I’ll miss him too.”

As Yoshiko finally let go and began to sob into her shoulder, Riko patted her back gently. It wasn’t the first time she had seen the younger girl upset over giving up an animal to a new home, or their original owner. It wasn’t even the first time she had felt compelled to comfort her friend. So why did it feel different this time?

Was it because she had become attached to Hibagon as well? No, she had been quite attached to Nocturne, and a few others Yoshiko had her watch during their last year of high school together. Was it because they lived together now? That seemed like a strange reason. Perhaps it was because she had chosen a music friendly apartment over a pet friendly one? Did she feel guilty over making such a decision, despite knowing both she and her future roommate would want a pet?

After a little while, Riko decided that dwelling on the issue wasn’t going to help anything.

“Why don’t we head out for a bit?” She offered, releasing Yoshiko from her embrace. “Maybe get some ice cream or something else sweet to take our minds off this?”

Yoshiko swallowed hard and wiped her sleeve across her eyes before nodding.

* * *

“Riri! Riri!” Yoshiko called, barging into the other girl’s room without bothering to knock. “Look! Look! It’s up! It’s up!” She held out her phone.

Riko smiled as she saw the first picture of Hibagon that had been posted. The cat was being held by a man she assumed to be the captain who stood in the middle of a group of others who were undoubtedly his crew. She picked out Touma from the crowd before her eyes returned to Hibagon.

“There’s a caption too.” Yoshiko pointed out.

“Oh?” The redhead scrolled down to find it and laughed when she did. “Shimizu-san must have told Touma-san about Yohane at some point.”

“Then they should have listed Riri as my elite little demon.” The blue-haired girl stated, earning another chuckle from Riko. “But this is fine as well.”

_A gift from on high. Two angels have bestowed upon the JS Hakumei a new guardian. Welcome aboard, Hibagon!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, guess who had a polydactyl calico kitty while growing up! Though she was female and didn’t have odd eyes. Still, I’ve adored the calico pattern ever since, and if I get another cat some day, I’ll probably seek out another calico. My love of calicos most certainly played a part in my decision to make the cat in this scene one.
> 
> While researching calicos for ideas, I was reminded that the gene is carried on the X chromosome, so the majority are female, with a male being a rarity. With said rarity in mind while I looked up info on polydactyl cats and found that having it on all four feet is the least common - my own cat only had extra toes on her front feet. Thus, the cat for this scene earned extra toes on all four feet. Naming him came easy at this point as I just Googled to see if Japan had a version of Bigfoot; they did.
> 
> A link off a link from my polydactyl research lead me to a site about ship’s cats and as luck would have it, polydactyls were historically prefered as it was assumed they’d be better at climbing around the ship. Another coincidence was that many in Japan see the calico cat as being lucky, which is why the maneki-neko figurines are calico.
> 
> I did read that the modern Royal Navy has banned ship’s cats for hygiene reasons, but did not readily find information about the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. However, in a culture that has cat cafés and even a cat train, the idea of having a ship’s cat doesn’t feel extraordinarily out of place for me. Thus, at least in the HL world, a few ships in the JMSDF keep ship’s cats.
> 
> And to further that point, I specifically chose a name that did not come up in Google as being a real ship in the fleet. I still kept with the naming tradition, which means that since Hakumei - Twilight - is a natural phenomenon, it is a destroyer. Granted, I haven’t brought that up in the story just yet, but I do want to write a scene about Yohane and Riko visiting Hibagon, I’m can mention it there.
> 
> And on the topic of the ship’s name, I actually hit a minor speed bump there, particularly in trying to avoid a real ship’s name. I ended up borrowing the name from a character in my D&D story. As such, I’ll probably end up working in an inside joke about it in the scene about the ship tour.
> 
> Finally, as if all these notes didn’t prove it already, I had a lot of fun with this scene, despite hitting a wall or two. I kind of want to write more about the animals Yohane finds and brings home. I’ll probably stick mainly to cats and dogs, but whose to say our favorite fallen angel doesn’t occasionally find something more… odd. As always, more notes! More notes!


	12. Bed Bath and Bewildered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What dreams may come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~1.2k  
> Rating: High T or low M?  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: A few days after Yohane and Riko move in together; 1st and 2nd years in college, respectively.  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone
> 
> I was working on finishing up my HtHaN scene for Nico’s birthday and my ~~µ’s~~ muse decided we were going to write this instead…

The redhead walked casually toward the pool of cleansing, her bare feet padding quietly against the stone walkway. As she passed a particular pillar, she couldn’t help a small smile from forming. Of course, that one would be there. She was pretty much always there these days.

Despite sensing the other’s presence, the redhead continued on her way to the edge of the water. Upon arriving, she slowly undid the ties of her robe, intentionally prolonging the activity in a subtle taunt towards her observer. Finally, she let the garment slide from her shoulders to pile around her feet.

The redhead turned as she heard someone approaching from behind. A blue-haired girl marched deliberately up to her, barging into her personal space and forcing her to take a step backward to avoid a collision. The blue-haired girl’s hand made a smacking sound as it landed solidly against the smooth stone of the pillar behind the redhead.

It didn’t matter that the other girl was a little shorter, meaning she had to reach up and couldn’t lean in quite as much as someone who taller. It didn’t matter that she had performed this exact feat dozens, if not hundreds, of times before. The redhead felt her heartrate soar when she saw the desire burning in the magenta eyes of the girl she loved.

The blue-haired girl held her position for a few moments, taking in every detail of the radiant redhead within her gaze. It didn’t take long, however, before the churning cravings within her demanded more than simple sight. She leaned forward slowly, watching the anticipation grow in amber eyes.

The redhead closed her eyes as the blue-haired girl reduced the distance between them to a few centimeters. She could feel the other girl’s breath and resisted the urge to surge forward into her. Finally, a soft sensation touched upon her lips and she gave in, reaching forward to pull the blue-haired girl tightly against her. She couldn’t help vocalizing her pleasure as exploring hands left trails of heat across her skin.

It was a little unfair, however, that the blue-haired girl was still clothed. Thankfully, she was clad in a similar robe and the redhead was able to remove it with the same ease as her own, though with significantly more speed. The redhead needed to explore as well. And explore she did, earning the reward of her name being murmured and whimpered repeatedly.

The redhead moaned the blue-haired girl’s name as well. But when fingers finally found…

* * *

“Riri?”

Riko bolted awake at the sound of a knock on her door.

“Are you alright, Riri?” Yoshiko’s voice filtered through.

“I’m fine!” Riko said, far louder than she had intended.

“I thought I heard you call for me.”

“I… uhm…” Did I? Riko scrambled for an explanation. “J-just a dream… and, uhm… I thought I saw something strange when I woke up…?”

“Can I come in?”

“Uhm… sure… I guess…”

The door opened and Yoshiko stepped through with a look of concern on her face. She immediately began to scan the room. Her eyes returned repeatedly to the closet door and the area under Riko’s bed. Surely, she didn’t actually believe anything was there… did she?

“Yocchan?”

“I just wanted to be sure.”

“Of…?”

“That you’re really alright.”

Riko smiled as a pleasant warmth spread through her with the knowledge that her roommate was worried about her. “I’m fine, really.” She assured the younger girl. “Just a bad dream.” Or was it actually… really good?

“Uhm… sorry to point it out, but you’re really sweaty. Are you getting sick, maybe?”

“I don’t think so…” Riko shook her head. “I really do think it was just the nightmare.”

“Do you want me to get you a towel?”

Riko smiled again. “That’d be nice, thank you.”

Yoshiko nodded before turning and leaving the room.

With a sigh, Riko lay back down on her bed. She shifted uncomfortably a little with the unpleasantness of the moisture covering her. Another dream that caused her to wake up in a cold sweat. Another dream she couldn’t quite remember. Another dream that may have involved Yoshiko? What the heck was going on?

“These should work.” Yoshiko returned from the bathroom. She moved to the nightstand and turned on the lamp there before holding out the towels she had retrieved.

“Thank yo…” Riko cut off has her eyes met vivid magenta. Magenta eyes… Blue hair… Something twisted within her, but it was nothing like any of the other times. It wasn’t mental, it was physical. And it felt…

“Riri?”

“Sorry…” Riko snapped back to reality. “Thank you, Yocchan.” She accepted the towels. What if she took Yoshiko’s hand, pulled her towards… No. What the heck was she thinking? “These will do fine.”

“Anything else I can…” Yoshiko suddenly yawned. Now that the apparent crisis had been averted, her adrenaline was obviously wearing off.

“I’m good.” Riko chuckled. “Sorry to wake you.”

“Mmm…” Yoshiko nodded. “Hope you sleep well and don’t have anymore nightmares.” She turned and headed for the door. “Call me if you need anything else.”

“Thanks again, Yocchan.”

Yocchan…

Why did thinking about her roommate cause strange sensations to simmer within and torment her? Riko began to wipe herself off with the towel Yoshiko had brought. Towel… Her mind drifted to a recent incident involving a towel and Yoshiko. What if the younger girl hadn’t tried to escape? What if she had stepped forward? What if she had pinned her against the wall? Kabedon… Would Riko have pushed her away or…

Yocchan…

Yoshiko’s lips were often turned up in a brilliant smile, but what might they feel like against… Lips… Riko’s fingers brushed against her mouth.

Yocchan…

Yoshiko had dexterous fingers that manipulated game controllers with ease, performed impressive slight of hand magic tricks, and played their part in various ridiculous poses… Fingers… What if Yoshiko’s fingers were to…

Yocchan…

Riko dropped the towel as her hand moved down. She gasped slightly as she ghosted across sensitive points, despite the cloth barrier of her pajamas. Down… A little more…

Riko’s eye snapped open when her fingers found an elastic band. What the hell was she doing?! Was she really going to do that? Well, she couldn’t say she’d never done so before; reading some of her favorite doujin had certainly stirred up desires before. But to do so while thinking about a close friend like Yoshiko? That would be a first. And why did thinking about Yoshiko in that way cause those feelings in the first place?

Riko clenched her jaw in a conscious effort to quell the persistent yearning that all but demanded to be sated. No. She shouldn’t think about Yoshiko in that way. Yoshiko was a good friend and a wonderful roommate, not a potential romantic partner… Or was she?

Was Yoshiko someone to whom Riko could see herself growing closer? Absolutely. They were growing closer, practically by the day, now that they were living together. Could she see herself dating someone like Yoshiko? Probably. Yoshiko was not without some interesting eccentricities, but Riko had been finding them more endearing as the years passed. Could she see herself being physically intimate with someone like Yoshiko? Apparently, she had just done so.

Yocchan…

Riko sighed and settled back down under the covers. With her conscious thoughts in turmoil and unsatisfied desires still gnawing away, she closed her eyes and willed sleep to return. How would she face Yoshiko in the morning?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still slowly fitting in some scenes that, were I to write things in chronological order like a normal person, would lead up to the couple finally getting together. I have a few ideas for a similar scene for Yohane, but I’m not sure where I want to put it in the overall timeline just yet.
> 
> That all said, back to working on Nico’s birthday chapter.


	13. Dream Warden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riko's "nightmares" continue. Yohane wants to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~3.3k  
> Rating: High T or low M?  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Shortly after Yohane and Riko move in together; 1st and 2nd years in college, respectively.  
> Story Arc: “Nightmares?”  
> Bed Bath and Bewildered  
> Dream Warden
> 
> This ended up being a bit longer than I thought it would be. Not complaining, mind. However, it also took longer to finish than I thought it would and that I will complain about.

“Mornin’ Riri…” Yoshiko yawned, shuffling into the kitchen.

“Mornin’ Yocchan…” Riko replied with the same amount of energy.

Yoshiko paused and Riko could almost feel her scrutinization.

“Nightmares ended up keeping you awake?” The younger girl questioned after a moment.

“Uhm… something like that…” The older girl replied, trying to keep the uncertainty out of her voice. Truth be told, she’d awakened three more times after Yoshiko left and before needing to get up.

But geez, was it that obvious? Sure, Riko wasn’t the most energetic person in the morning, at least not compared to the likes of Kanan who happily went for morning runs of several kilometers. Nonetheless, she was usually mostly functional before breakfast or the first dose of caffeine or whatever. Did she really look that tired?

“Want me to help?” Yoshiko offered, peeking at the breakfast being prepared.

“I’ll be done in a moment.” Riko replied, starting to roll the omelet. “Thanks for the offer, though.”

“Mmm…” Yoshiko moved to the table and took her usual seat. “Perhaps…” The gears turned sluggishly in her sleep-addled mind. “Maybe Yohane can conjure up a few nightmare wards to place around your room?”

“Nightmare what?” Riko brought two plates of food over and sat down.

“Wards. Kinda like dreamcatchers.”

“Dreamcatchers? I’ve seen those before. They’re kind of cute.”

“But instead of ensnaring bad dreams, they repel them entirely. Though to the dreamer, the effect is basically the same.”

“So… why not just use a dreamcatcher?”

“The magics available to a fallen angel are better suited to creating the wards.” Yoshiko explained as though it should be obvious.

“I see.” Riko nodded. “What do they look like?”

“Pretty similar to the glyphs, circles and symbols I use in my rituals since they all draw from the same sources for their power.”

“Hrm…”

“But don’t worry!” Yoshiko suddenly assured. “If Riri is worried about aesthetics, they would be in places that are out of sight.”

“Oh?” Riko wasn’t really that worried about such things; she had been more curious than anything. Also, she could always remove them when guests visited. But she thought it was nice that Yoshiko took such things into consideration.

“They are most effective when placed where the darkest of dreams often dwell. Places like the closet or under the bed.”

“U-under my bed?”

“They won’t have an adverse effect on your collection.” Yoshiko smirked. “Unless Riri wants them to…”

“Hmm…” Riko hummed before taking a bite of her omelet. She thought about the proposal as she chewed. “Alright.” She finally agreed.

“Alright?” The blue-haired girl across the table balked a bit as though not expecting the redhead to agree. “I… I mean of course it’s alright!” She recovered quickly, however. “Yohane is proud to help protect the precious dreams of her favorite little demon!”

Riko smiled. “Thank you, Yocchan.”

* * *

“Right here should work.” Yoshiko said, adhering the dream ward to the back of Riko’s closet door. “Did you find a good place for that one?” She turned to see her roommate laying prone with head and shoulders under the bed. “The closer you can get it to the where your head will be, the better.” She explained.

“I… think… I got it…” Riko’s voice was muffled from her position.

Yoshiko couldn’t help a slight chuckle as she watched the other girl shuffle back out. She would have preferred to be the one to place the ward, but at the same time, she knew how Riko continued to act as though her doujin collection was some sort of secret.

“Then that’s that.” Yoshiko nodded before yawning. “Off to bed for this fallen angel…”

“Sleep well, Yocchan.”

“You as well, Riri. I hope you have nothing but good dreams tonight.”

Riko smiled in reply.

Yoshiko sighed as she closed the door behind her and headed for her own room. Despite knowing that the dream wards were nothing more than paper with some symbols scrawled upon them, she honestly hoped that they might provide some piece of mind to her roommate. It was the least she could do, and she knew she had to do something.

While there was little doubt that Riko had nightmares in the past – who hasn’t? – Yoshiko believed this one to be different, not just because Riko had called out to her, but also by how much it seemed to have affected her. And if Riko’s morning lethargy hadn’t been proof enough of the effects, the fact that she hadn’t tried to grapple Yoshiko for commenting on the doujin had solidified Yoshiko’s resolve.

“Sleep well, Riri…” Yoshiko murmured to herself as she climbed into bed.

* * *

Riko’s eyes snapped open.

Another one.

Yocchan…

Similar sensations shifted.

The fact that Yoshiko wasn’t knocking on the door possibly meant she hadn’t called out this time. Or at least didn’t call loud enough for the other girl to hear.

Riko sighed and slipped out of bed so she could get a towel to wipe off the sweat. If this was going to become a regular thing, perhaps keeping one on her nightstand wouldn’t be that bad of an idea. With that thought in mind, she grabbed a second one and returned to bed.

So, the wards hadn’t worked. Of course, Riko hadn’t really expected them to work. Well, at least not in the way Yoshiko had described. First off, Riko suspected the dreams were not nightmares in the first place, thus making wards against them worthless from the start. However, she had also hoped that taking solace in her friend’s honest concern would be enough to calm her mind. Apparently not.

Once again, Riko did her best to ignore the demands for satiation and tried to fall back asleep.

* * *

“The wards didn’t work, huh?”

Riko jumped a little, not expecting her roommate to be awake already. She was actually on her way to the bathroom to get a better look at the dark spots under her eyes and try to conceal them. But Yoshiko had met her in the hallway and found out anyway.

“Seems that way…” Riko replied, trying not to yawn. Her dreams had awakened her four more times before her alarm went off and she had to drag herself out of bed. She also found herself unsure if she should give voice to her suspicions that the dreams were actually good, just of a… sensual nature.

“Hrm…” Yoshiko thought for a moment. “Perhaps Yohane should stand guard herself and personally fend off the nightmares…”

“Huh…?” Riko’s sleep-deprived mind found itself slow to process the idea. “You’re… going to… stand in my room all night?”

“No, silly Riri.” Yoshiko chuckled and shook her head. “I’ll move the guest futon to your bedroom and use that. Even while sleeping, the presence of one such as Yohane is sure to ward off any encroaching nightmares.”

“Not attract them?” Riko couldn’t help asking.

Yoshiko paused for a moment before answering. “Surely, they’d be more likely to try to torment a fallen angel than a mere mortal, right?”

“You might have a point there.” Riko allowed.

She then remembered the various sleepovers she had with her friends, and how, with rare exception, she had always slept well. Perhaps having familiar people around really could help, but not just in the next room over, rather pretty much within arm’s reach. It certainly couldn’t make things worse… could it?

“Alright.” She agreed after a moment.

Yoshiko smiled. “You go ahead and take the bathroom so you can get ready. I’ll go make breakfast.”

“You don’t…”

“Yohane insists.” The fallen angel made her signature gesture. “Helping my little demons when they are cursed with insomnia is a duty I am proud to perform.”

“Alright, alright.” Riko laughed lightly as she felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. “I’ll be out in a bit.”

* * *

A sleepover with Riri!

Yoshiko couldn’t help humming happily as she picked up the futon and moved it to Riko’s bedroom. She then went to her room to get her own blanket and pillow instead of the guest ones.

As she worked, memories of prior sleepovers ran through her mind. Aqours as a whole had spent many nights at various places together, but Yoshiko had always been most fond of the smaller groups; particularly when they included Riko. Her favorites though, by far, were the nights she had spent at Riko’s house to visit Prelude.

Tonight would be kind of like her favorites, though regrettably without the adorable pug. But as much as Yoshiko wanted to selfishly revel in the idea of sleeping in the same room as Riko again, she knew it wasn’t just about her. She wanted Riko to take some comfort in her being there and maybe get a good night’s rest.

“All set?” Riko asked from her bed as she reached for the lamp switch.

“Yohane is ready to descend into the darkest depths of the dreamworld.” Yoshiko replied, making one final adjustment to her pillow.

“Good night, Yocchan.”

“Sleep well, Riri.”

* * *

Riko awoke in an unfamiliar position. Her back was arched, her legs tensed and her hands gripped the sheet below her. It was almost as if she had been trying to push into something… or someone above her…

Her stomach felt cold and she realized she had not only shoved her blanket away but her pajama top had also ridden up. What the heck? A soft murmur from somewhere nearby caught her attention so she quickly tugged down the hem, sat up and glanced around the room. It didn’t take long for her gaze to settle on…

Yocchan…

Immediately, Riko felt something contort within her and she took a long, slow breath in an attempt to calm the rising sensations.

That’s right, Yoshiko had offered to be her personal dream warden for the night. Riko found herself wondering if the purported fallen angel had suffered her own bout of nightmares. Perhaps as a child? Perhaps even more recently? Maybe, that was why she was adamant about helping Riko; she knew the disruptions that were caused and didn’t want her friend to go through the same things. That felt like something Yoshiko might do, though Riko wasn’t sure how to go about confirming the idea as it seemed rude to ask the reasons behind another’s help.

Yoshiko murmured again and tugged her pillow almost out from under her head before hugging it like a teddy bear and nuzzling into it. Cute. Riko smiled as she was now curious if Yoshiko typically slept with one of her many oddly adorable plushies.

As she watched Yoshiko’s slow, rhythmic breathing, RIko couldn’t help starting to wonder what it might be like to see her closer up. How would the other girl react if Riko were to slide under the covers beside her? What might it be like to wake up to such a scene every morning? What might it be like to…

Riko rolled on to her side, away from the girl on the futon. She squeezed her eyes shut and silently begged whatever deity might listen to allow her to rest.

* * *

Riko awoke, shivering and gasping for breath.

“Riri…?” a soft voice questioned.

“I’m… fine…” Riko managed to get out. “You can go back to sleep, Yocchan.”

“Mmm…”

Riko’s hand trembled as she reached for a towel on the nightstand. Her muscles ached as though she had just run a kilometer or two.

Though the visuals were blurry, the emotions remained vivid in her mind. There was no way that had been a nightmare. Riko was convinced her mind had just acted out some rather intense scenes of intimacy with…

Yocchan…

She couldn’t deny it any longer; perhaps it had been foolish to even try in the first place. She was definitely dreaming about Yoshiko. Her roommate. Her friend.

But what would Yoshiko feel about this?

Riko had never been clear on the younger girl’s standings with her peers, Hanamaru and Ruby. Or even Leah for that matter. Yoshiko often talked about all three and was always excited to see them, more so it seemed, than others among their mutual friends. Did she like any of them in that way? Had Riko missed something at some point? Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be the first time Riko had been oblivious to those kinds of feelings among her friends. She could spot the tropes a mile away in her doujin, but was lacking in her observations of the real world.

She would have to get better in her observations or risk making similar mistakes as she had in the past, or possibly missing out on something wonderful. But how? Who could she talk to? She immediately dismissed her peers along with her juniors. Maybe one of her seniors? Riko rolled onto her side, away from the distracting presence of her roommate and considered her options while awaiting sleep to return.

* * *

“Riri.”

Riko’s eyes opened slowly as she felt a hand gently shake her shoulder.

“Riri.” The voice repeated.

Riko groaned and rolled to face the other girl.

“You slept through your alarm.” Yoshiko explained with a concerned expression. “Maybe you should email your professors and skip classes today?”

“I’ll go…”

“Are you sure? One day probably won’t hurt a good student like you.”

“Mmm…”

“Anyway, breakfast is ready if you want it.”

Riko nodded and started to get out of bed.

“Uhm…” Yoshiko fidgeted a bit as she backed up a few steps to allow the other girl room. “There’s one more thing I’d like to try, if you’ll let me.”

Riko smiled. Her roommate’s steadfast devotion to ensuring her wellbeing was quite endearing. “Whatever you think might help.”

“It’s a pretty big ritual.”

“Alright…”

“But I’ll try not to make to much of a mess.”

Riko chuckled.

“There will be candles.”

“Mmm…”

“And incense.”

“That’s fine.”

“Alright then.” Yoshiko nodded, surprisingly solemnly. She then turned to leave. “Bathroom’s yours.” She tossed over her shoulder.

* * *

Riko trudged into the apartment, kicked off her shoes, dropped her bag in the entryway and shuffled toward her bedroom. She had barely made it through her first classes and finally decided to take Yoshiko’s advice and skip the few that remained.

Yocchan…

Just laying down on her bed was enough to conjure up remnants of the dreams.

Yocchan…

She glanced at the futon folded in the corner with Yoshiko’s blanket and pillow on top, waiting to possibly be used again tonight.

Yocchan…

Riko closed her eyes.

Yocchan…

She gritted her teeth. She needed to do something. Something. Anything. She needed to satiate…

Yocchan…

She let her hand begin to explore…

* * *

“Yocchan!”

* * *

“Riri?” A voice called from the entryway. “Are you home?”

“I’m here.” Riko left the restroom, relieved her roommate hadn’t returned earlier. “You’re home early.”

“So are you.” Yoshiko rounded the corner to meet the other girl in the hallway. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah,” The redhead nodded. “I just ran out of steam and decided to take your advice. I actually just got up from a nap.”

“Did it help?”

“I think so.”

“That’s good.” The blue-haired girl smiled. “Anyway, the professor for my last class is sick and didn’t give his TA a lesson plan for the day, so I decided to get an early start on setting up my ritual.”

“Go ahead.” Riko motioned toward her bedroom. “I’ll get started on making dinner.”

“Sounds good.”

* * *

Riko sat on the edge of her bed, watching her roommate. Yoshiko had a feather in her bun and was dressed in her favorite set of pajamas covered by her favorite cape. Smoke rose from a stick of incense on the desk; sandalwood, if Riko remembered correctly. Several candles burned in various positions around the room and a large cloth sheet with a printed ritual circle lay on the floor. Finally, a mug with a cute, smiling demon face on its side and filled with a warm liquid sat waiting on the nightstand.

“The deities of nighttime and dreams can often be clever and conniving.” Yoshiko intoned. “The one we with which we are dealing has masked their presence well. Yohane, a fallen angel who is intimately familiar with the darkest of magics, finds herself unable to detect any amount of corruption or ill intent within these walls. The source of the nightmares that torment her little demon Riri remains unclear.”

Probably because they aren’t nightmares… Riko thought to herself. She took a slow breath, enjoying the earthy and soothing fragrances from the incense.

“Therefore, this ritual shall not be restrained by focusing on nightmares.”

What? Riko started paying closer attention to her roommate’s performance.

“Instead, we shall banish all dreams and disruptions to sleep! Upon completion, only peace and tranquil rest shall remain! Riri!” She called, pointing to the redhead. She then moved her hand to indicate something else. “Consume the elixir of serenity!”

“This?” Riko picked up the mug.

“Indeed. Yohane prepared a special batch of her favorite potion for sleep. Sip of it slowly. Savor its soothing properties as I complete the ritual.”

“Alright.” Riko lifted the drink to her lips and tasted it. There was no denying the main ingredient to this potion, or rather tea, was chamomile, which was fine because it was a flavor she enjoyed. There were other subtler flavors that Riko didn’t readily recognize but assumed were similar herbs believed to be helpful sleep aids.

Yoshiko began to murmur in a language Riko did not understand, though she was pretty sure she recognized the name of one or two deities. Many of her phrases were accompanied by hand gestures and dramatic movements.

Riko tipped the mug up to drain the last drops.

“And with that, the ritual is complete!” Yoshiko posed.

“That was delicious.” Riko said as she returned the mug to the nightstand. “What was in it? I mean I know the chamomile and milk, but…”

“Yohane does not normally reveal the secret recipes of her concoctions, but she can make an exception for her most elite little demon. It is infused with valerian root, jasmine and a hint of lemon balm.”

Riko wasn’t familiar with some of those items. “Well, it was delicious.”

“’Tis my greatest hope that it allows you a good night’s slumber.”

“I’m sure it will.” Riko smiled gently. “Thank you, Yocchan.”

Yoshiko returned a toothy grin of her own.

“Shall we turn in?”

“Right, let me just set up the futon.”

“Need help?”

“I’m good, thanks.” Yoshiko moved to retrieve the bedding. “Riri can go to sleep.”

“Alright.” Riko slipped under her comforter. However, she didn’t close her eyes right away, instead, she watched the other girl until she was settled as well. “Good night, Yocchan.”

“Good night, Riri.”

* * *

“Good morning, Yocchan!” Riko said cheerfully as her roommate shuffled into the kitchen.

“Mornin,’ Riri…” Yoshiko responded before yawning. “So… it would seem… the ritual worked?”

“I believe so.” Riko confirmed, moving the food around in the pan as she cooked.

Yoshiko breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good.”

“Mmm.”

“Well, if you need me to perform it again tonight…”

“I think I’ll be good for a while, thanks.”

“Oh, alright.”

Riko thought she detected just a hint of disappointment in Yoshiko’s voice.

“But, I might request another batch of your wonderful sleep potion.”

“The elixir of serenity?”

“Yeah, that one.”

“I can do that.”

Riko smiled at the obvious excitement. Even if it had all been a big show, she appreciated the amount of effort Yoshiko had put in to helping her the last few nights. And she had helped, more than she probably realized and almost certainly not in the way she believed.

As soon as Riko brought over the food and took a seat, Yoshiko started talking about something going on in her drama class to which she was looking forward. Riko smiled as the first normal breakfast of the week began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized while writing this that I put its intended previous chapter, Bed Bath and Bewildered, too soon in the existing timeline. As such I will be moving it once I post this chapter.
> 
> Perhaps worth noting that I do not wish to make it seem like external, supernatural forces are the sole reason Riko ends up falling for Yohane. I would like to get around to writing more scenes about some of the more natural attractions that develop between the two, preferably from both perspectives. However, as with much of what I want to write, I am still awaiting the release of the movie to finalize certain details.


	14. Angel's Own Luck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yohane's birthday is on Friday the 13th. How might that affect her luck?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~1.9k  
> Rating: K  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Yohane’s birthday of her first year in college. Riko’s second year.  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone
> 
> Welp, I missed Yohane’s birthday over in Japan, but it’s still the 13th here in the States. Happy Birthday, Yohane! ♡ ＼(≧▽≦)／ ♡

RedPisces: Happy Birthday, Yoshiko-chan!

TheFallenAngel: Yohane!

RedPisces: Hanamaru-chan says hi

RedPisces: And wishes you Happy Birthday as well!

TheFallenAngel: Thank you, Ruby and Zuramaru

RedPisces: Looking forward to seeing you this weekend to celebrate!

RedPisces: Do you two mind if I invite Leah-chan as well?

TheFallenAngel: I’m fine with it

TheFallenAngel: Yohane hasn’t seen her Little Demons of the North in far too long

TheFallenAngel: Riri will probably be fine as well

SakurauchiRiko: Of course you can invite her, Ruby-chan

SakurauchiRiko: Sarah-san as well if she can make it

SakurauchiRiko: We have plenty of room

SakurauchiRiko: And the more the merrier

TheFallenAngel: Maybe you guys can put on a mini live for us!

TheFallenAngel: You know we have a soundproofed room

TheFallenAngel: So you can be as loud as you like

SakurauchiRiko: Well not quite…

TheFallenAngel: You know what I mean Riri

SakurauchiRiko: Though if you have sheet music for any of your songs, email them to me

SakurauchiRiko: Maybe I can play for you

RedPisces: I think Leah-chan has the digital copies

RedPisces: I’ll have her send them

RedPisces: I’ll also check with our production company

RedPisces: See if they’ll let us borrow some karaoke equipment

RedPisces: Theirs is portable and really easy to set up because they’re always doing concerts at a hospital there in Tokyo

SerafinaDellaVerità: Buon Compleanno, Yoshiko-chan!

SerafinaDellaVerità: So sorry I cannot make it to the gathering this time

SerafinaDellaVerità: But you’re present should be arriving today

TheFallenAngel: Thanks, Mari

TheFallenAngel: See you at the next reunion then

Delphinus: We should definitely look into setting up another reunion soon

Delphinus: I’m sorry I haven’t been able to get to any birthdays yet this year

Delphinus: And some of you guys I’ve only seen once at Yoshiko-chan, Ruby-chan and Hanamaru-chan’s graduation

KurosawaDia: Agreed

Delphinus: Also, Happy Birthday, Yoshiko-chan!

Delphinus: Hopefully your luck won’t be too bad today

KurosawaDia: Yes, Happy Birthday

MikanPower: Oh yeah, it’s Friday the 13th today isn’t it

1stMateWatanabe: This will be Yoshiko-chan’s fourth birthday on Friday the 13th

MikanPower: Really?

TheFallenAngel: Indeed

TheFallenAngel: Tis on this unholiest of days that the alignments of the heavens, hells and the mortal reals are torn asunder

TheFallenAngel: Any and all oddities are possible when everything is shifted so askew

TheFallenAngel: The stars themselves quake as up becomes down, white becomes black, hot becomes cold, and angels become demons

SakurauchiRiko: Then today, Yocchan should have good luck?

MikanPower: That’s true

MikanPower: If everything is opposite, then Yoshiko-chan’s luck should be the opposite as well

1stMateWatanabe: That would be a good gift from the Fates

The conversation continued and several other birthday wishes were sent, but for a while, Yoshiko stared at her phone screen as thoughts rushed through her head. Good luck? Her? You had correctly pointed out that this was the fourth time her birthday landed on the stigmatized Friday, but she didn’t remember anything being particularly different for her.

Sure, Yoshiko had a few days of better luck here and there, like the day she found Laelaps, or when Riko gave her homemade cookies, but those had been neither Fridays nor the 13th of the month. And she had definitely noticed a change for the better after moving in with Riko. But still, good luck on Friday the 13th? Such a thing was in no way possible… right?

* * *

“I’m home!” Riko called from the entryway. “Yocchan?” She called after being greeted by silence.

“Hey, Riri…” A voice drifted to her from the direction of the living room.

A curious mix of dread and concern washed over Riko as she moved into the apartment to find her roommate.

“Yocchan?” The redhead approached the couch where the blue-haired girl sat. “Are you alright?”

A small smile tugged at one side of Yoshiko’s mouth. “You were right…”

Riko blinked. “About…?”

“My luck…”

“So, it was good?”

“I didn’t trip over anything today. Not once.” Yoshiko started to explain as Riko took a seat beside her. “I didn’t drop anything or lose anything either. Nothing broke. No doors got jammed. No alarms went off.”

“That’s good.” Riko nodded. She found herself reluctant to point out that what was described thus far sounded like normal luck for the average individual. Though, for Yoshiko, that probably counted as good luck.

“And it didn’t rain…”

“Yeah, that was odd. The forecast seemed all but certain.”

“I even brought an umbrella this time.”

Riko couldn’t help chuckling a little as she remembered all the times Yoshiko had been caught in a downpour without an umbrella.

“And I was chosen as the lead in the play we’re putting on.”

“That’s great!”

“It’s the part I really wanted, too.”

“Congratulations, Yocchan!” Now that sounded more on the positive side of luck, though Riko also knew how hard the younger girl had been working in her club. “You deserve it.”

“Then I found a stray kitten on the way home.”

“Oh?”

“And found a new owner for her the next block down.”

“That’s impressive.”

“Finally…” Yoshiko leaned a bit to retrieve something from her pocket. “I won this at the convenience store when I stopped to pick up a snack.”

“Wow…” Riko’s eyes widened when she saw the coupon. “That place is really expensive.”

“I know…”

“So…” Riko finally decided to ask the question that had been gnawing at her since sitting down. “Why do you sound… disappointed?” Was that the right word?

Yoshiko let out a bemused laugh. “No, not disappointed.” She shook her head. “Confused.”

“Confused?”

“I think… Maybe?”

“Because you don’t know how to handle being lucky?”

“… Yeah… Weird, isn’t it?”

Riko laughed. “A bit, yes. But I can’t say I blame you. I’d probably feel similar were I in your shoes.”

Yoshiko smiled wistfully.

“So, I say embrace it, like you embrace your bad luck, like you embrace everything. The fates have smiled on you today, Yocchan. And like You-chan said this morning, it’s a good birthday gift.”

“Thanks, Riri.” Something clicked in Yoshiko’s mind. “Say, do you want to, maybe, come with me?”

“Where?”

“Here.” The blue-haired girl held up her coupon.

“Oh!” The redhead balked a bit. “Me? Are you sure? There isn’t anyone else you’d rather take?”

“It may have been the Fates who bestowed upon Yohane the gift of good fortune for her birthday, but it was Riri who first brought it to their attention.”

“I did?” For some reason, she thought it had been You.

“And though a fallen angel might be loath to curse her little demons with her misfortune, she is happy to share with them her good fortune.”

“Alright then, but… you weren’t thinking about going tonight, were you?”

Yoshiko shook her head. “I was thinking maybe sometime next week? Why?”

“Oh, uhm…” A hint of pink dusted Riko’s cheeks. “Because I already picked up supplies to make dinner for your birthday tonight.”

The smile that immediately spread across Yoshiko’s face was enough to make Riko’s heart skip a beat.

“Want help?” The younger girl asked.

The older girl pursed her lips. “But it’s your birthday… You should be able to just sit back and relax.”

“It’s fine. It’s fine.” Yoshiko dismissed, though continued beaming. “Maybe my apparent good luck will combine with yours and we can make something better than either of us could ever hope to make on our own.”

“Alright, alright.” Riko replied with a laugh. “Today is your day, so you get to decide.”

“To the kitchen!” Yoshiko declared, leading the way.

* * *

“You were right, Yocchan.” Riko took her favorite spot on the couch. “That may have been the best meal we’ve had since moving here.”

Yoshiko grinned. “Yohane and Riri should combine their powers more often.”

“Definitely.”

“So.” Yoshiko clapped her hands. “Movie time. And since…”

“Actually…” Riko interrupted. “There’s one more thing to do before that.”

The younger girl tilted her head at her roommate.

“I know we’re celebrating with some of the others tomorrow, but you should still be able to open at least one present on the actual day.”

“I just opened Mari’s…”

“I know, but I mean one from someone here.” Riko reached over the arm of the couch to retrieve a wrapped box.

“Oh…” Yoshiko accepted the gift and quickly untied the ribbon. A few quick rips later revealed nondescript cardboard. However, within the box, she found… “Riri, these are…”

“I got help from the shop clerk.” Riko admitted. “I’m sorry, I’m not familiar with everything you might use for your rituals and streams, but I hope you can find a use for most of it.”

“All of it.” Yoshiko sifted through the various items. “Ooo…” She held up a package. “I’ve never used this kind of incense before.” She held it up to her nose. “Smells wonderful. Oh, cool candles; my little demons will like seeing those. And this… And this too… Riri, this is amazing.” She looked up at the other girl in awe.

Riko smiled. “I’m glad you like it.”

“Like it? I love it! Thank you so much! I can’t wait to stream tomorrow!”

“You’re welcome.”

“But really, I’ve never seen this brand before.” Yoshiko continuing to marvel at the incense. “Where did you find it?”

“The clerk said they had just gotten in a limited shipment.”

“Limited?”

“Yeah, I got the last of them.”

“So, these are like super rare, legendary artifacts?”

“I… uhm… maybe? You might be able to have them order more if you like them?”

“So, it was a lucky find on Riri’s part.” Yoshiko grinned.

“… Yes, I believe so.” Riko agreed after a moment of thought.

The response seemed to be what the younger girl wanted as her smile grew before she set the gift on the table in front of them and picked up the remote.

“So, back to movies.”

“You’re the birthday girl, so you’re pick, Yocchan.”

“And since it’s Friday the 13th…”

“A Jason movie?”

“Eh, Riri makes a good point, but Yohane isn’t in the mood for a slasher show tonight; too many jump scares.” Yoshiko made an expression of distaste. “I wanna watch something grim and dark, with like ghosts or curses or demons or something like that. Something fitting of a fallen angel. Something that will send shivers down the spines of even her most elite little demons.” She smirked.

Riko rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to get scared and cling to you, Yocchan.” Despite her words, she couldn’t deny that the idea had some appeal, though she found imagining the reverse to be more preferable; that Yoshiko would be the one to get frightened and latch onto her for security.

“Riri says that now. But she hasn’t witnessed the horrors yet to come!” Yoshiko found the movie she sought on the menu and pressed Play. “This one received high praise from some of my little demons online.” She explained as she settled into her spot.

Riko hummed a neutral affirmation.

As the opening credits ran, a thought occurred to Yoshiko; would her luck go back to normal tomorrow? Probably. Though somewhat disappointing, at least it would be more familiar. And things had gone will for her birthday, so that was nice. And if nothing else, Riko’s good fortune would likely continue to counterbalance things as needed.

Yoshiko gave a sidelong glance at the girl sitting next to her. Perhaps someday, if the gods were to grant her another gift…

Riko jumped.

Yoshiko smirked. “I thought Riri wasn’t going to get scared.”

“I thought you said you didn’t want a movie with jump scares.”

“Not one without them completely, just not an overabundance of them.”

Riko pursed her lips and returned her attention to the movie. Yoshiko laughed lightly and did the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It feels strange that the original idea I had for this scene ended up being cut out completely because it no longer fit. I still want to write about it, but I’ll just have to move it to a different scene that I’ll get to later.
> 
> And on the topic of ideas… by the gods has this scene given me a ton of them. A date-but-not-really scene for the coupon Yohane won. Ruby, Hanamaru and Leah visiting to celebrate Yohane’s birthday, belated. The play of which Yohane is now the lead, which I’d actually love to turn into a longer story arc if my µ’s muse agrees. And another scene or two with Yohane and Riko watching scary movies together, though I’m still awaiting a translation of the sleepover scene in Dengeki G’s magazine to really flesh out that idea.
> 
> Also, this wasn’t exactly how I intended to first introduce certain things with Ruby and Leah, so I’m holding off on exposition on that front for now. Still, I couldn’t help tossing in one little detail that readers of HtHaN might catch.
> 
> Finally, I originally wanted to write out a few of the things Yohane mentions to Riko, but found myself struggling with the details. As such, I may come back sometime and either add them here or write a whole new scene that will take place in the middle of this one, like what I did with the TubaHonk ice cream scene over in HtHaN.


	15. Unsent - To Yoshiko

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A letter unsent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: 940  
> Rating: K  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Sometime during their college years  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone  
> Set: “Unsent”  
> To Maki (HtHaN)  
> To Nico (HtHaN)  
> To Riko (HL)  
> To Yoshiko (HL)  
> To Honoka (HtHaN)  
> To Kanan and Dia (HL)  
> To Hanayo (HtHaN)
> 
> This is the fouth of the four entries in a set I am calling Unsent. The idea was inspired by [a contest over on Sukutomo](https://schoolido.lu/activities/8041166/) to write a love letter to one of the idols. These were kind of fun to write, so depending on whether or not my ~~µ’s~~ muse strikes, I may very well end up writing a few for some of the other ships in HtHaN and HL.

_Dear Yocchan,_

_I love you._

Now why the heck was it so easy to write, but so hard to say? It was such a simple phrase; just a few syllables. Why did her tongue freeze the moment her gaze met those brilliant magenta eyes? Well, that wasn’t entirely true, she could speak quite easily with Yoshiko about pretty much anything, even things she wouldn’t talk about with her own mother. Anything except this; likely the most important thing she needed to say now. Riko sighed and continued writing.

_But you know, it’s strange. Though I’ve only recently come to realize it, I cannot help feeling like I’ve loved you for a long time. As in longer than we’ve known each other. As in possibly in another life. And the longer we live together, the stronger this feeling becomes. As random and eclectic as you like to believe you are, I feel like I’ve already seen it all and I can almost predict much of it._

_But don’t think I’m saying you’re not special. You absolutely are special, Yocchan. And while you often have a flair for the dramatic, I’ve come to enjoy your unique way of looking at the world and yourself. Honestly, I envy the confidence with which you typically hold yourself, particularly Yohane. And though I admire how well you handle your misfortune, I am pleased to see that things have improved over the years. But what truly shines about you is your smile. To borrow a bit of your theatrics, you could command a whole host of angels with that smile of yours. Or legion of demons, I suppose, if you prefer._

_And behind all the theatrics and bravado is one of the kindest hearts I’ve ever known. For proof, one need look no further than your treatment of stray animals. The lengths to which you will go to ensure their wellbeing is nothing short of incredible and the bond you form with many of them is endearing. I hope we might find an apartment someday that will allow you to keep one or two for yourself._

_I know I’ve told you this before, but I am truly happy you agreed to live with me here. While I have no doubt that I would have fared fine on my own, the life and energy you bring to this place is irreplaceable. It’s wonderful knowing that after a long day of classes with strangers, someone I care about will be with me at home afterward. I love watching you get engrossed in an intense game. I love seeing you get excited about some new design technique you’re studying. I love how passionate you are about your streams and how diligently you tend to your fanbase. And I love having a dedicated audience and kindly critic when I am working on my music._

_And then there is your sense of taste. It may be a strange thing to compliment, but you have no idea how comforting it is to know that no matter what, the food I prepare will be eaten. It’s liberating to not have to worry about some silly little mistake ruining everything. And I must admit that it is rather amusing when you end up preferring the mistake over the intended result. It’s a trait that just fits you so well. And I love it._

_Finally, Yocchan, I want you to know that you are a wonderful and cherished friend. And perhaps someday, you might consider being more than friends. ~~We could~~_

Riko paused as a scene from the manga she had read earlier in the day flashed through her mind. Was she really about to write… that? How embarrassing. She felt her cheeks flush and she quickly scratched out the words.

Of course, for better or worse, Yoshiko already knew about her favorite genre of manga; apparently had known since their first trip to Tokyo back in high school. And the younger girl seemed fine with it, or at least not put off by it. If anything, she seemed fond of teasing Riko about it. So, maybe it was alright to include that here?

No. Riko shook her head. This wasn’t that kind of love letter.

She quickly scanned what she had written thus far. This was good enough, right? Sure, it was a little rough, but it was just a first draft. And it wasn’t like she was going to be giving it to Yoshiko right now. There was time to refine it. However, she should probably at least sign it.

_Your favorite little demon,  
Riri_

Riko’s phone vibrated.

TheFallenAngel: The Fates have decreed there shall be a change in plans!

SakurauchiRiko: Oh?

TheFallenAngel: Indeed

TheFallenAngel: By utilizing unanticipated yet exceptional markdowns, Yohane has procured all the material components necessary to cast hellfire upon an otherwise heavenly curry dish!

Riko laughed.

SakurauchiRiko: How about casting mere mortal fire on an earthlier curry dish?

TheFallenAngel: I suppose we could do that instead

TheFallenAngel: The material components are similar enough

SakurauchiRiko: You can still cast hellfire on your own servings though

TheFallenAngel: And Riri will try a bite?

Riko chewed her lip.

SakurauchiRiko: We’ll see

TheFallenAngel: Very well

TheFallenAngel: Yohane shall return presently

SakurauchiRiko: See you in a bit

Riko smiled to herself as she folded the letter she had just completed. She then stood and made her way over to her shelf. There, she selected an old, worn book, slipped the letter between its pages and put it back in its place. Finally, she headed for the kitchen to do some preparation for when Yoshiko came with the rest of what was needed for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, Riko, Yohane will still eat it:
> 
>  


	16. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Revelation  
> noun  
> 1\. the act of revealing or disclosing; disclosure  
> 2\. something revealed or disclosed, especially a striking disclosure, as of something not before realized

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~3k  
> Rating: Heavy T or mild M, depending on your description there of  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Early college; likely Yohane’s 1st and Riko’s 2nd year  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone
> 
> I didn’t want the title to be blatant spoilers, so it was off to thesaurus.com where I clicked a few times… and I found this idea. I hope it works as intended. “What is going to be revealed?”

Yoshiko dropped her pen, threw up her arms and stretched.

“Ready for a break?” Riko asked from the other side of the table.

“Yup.”

“Alright.” The older girl smiled. “I’ll go make some tea.”

“Thanks, Riri.” The younger girl replied, letting herself fall back onto the floor where she sprawled out lazily.

Riko giggled at the display before getting up. “I’ll be right back.”

The two young women had been busy studying since they arrived home earlier in the afternoon. Using Riko’s room to study had become a bit of a tradition as it lacked the distractions of the television and game systems of the living room as well as the general clutter of Yoshiko’s room. There was also more available study space than in the music room. However, the room still held its share of distractions for Yoshiko, ones that it had taken a lot of conscious effort to not only overcome but also to avoid revealing to Riko.

And on the topic of such distractions, out of the corner of her eye, Yoshiko spotted a not-so-well-hidden book that was undoubtedly from Riko’s not-so-secret manga collection. Heck, she barely had to move to reach it under the bed.

It often amused Yoshiko how her roommate continued to insist on keeping half of her manga collection a secret. Everyone knew at this point, and for the most part, nobody cared. Really, only Mari and Yoshiko ever teased her about it. And ironically, it was with them that Riko had become more relaxed in keeping everything perfectly hidden, though that might have been more because she lived with Yoshiko and Mari regularly did not announce when she was coming over. With everyone else, however, Riko insisted on having everything perfectly hidden from all but the most discerning eyes; particularly from her fellow former second years.

Yoshiko smiled to herself as these thoughts crossed her mind and she pulled the book towards herself. Then, she glimpsed the cover. Was that? She pulled it close for a better inspection. It was! The next volume of the series she had recently started following on one of her digital manga sites! She hadn’t even realized the new volume had been printed. This meant she didn’t have to wait the delay time for them to upload it. Yoshiko felt almost giddy as she opened the book and started reading.

But wait, this meant that Riko read this series as well. Sure, it had no shortage of the romance that the redhead loved so dearly, and it was centered on two girls, her favorite type of romance. It even had quite a fair bit of the more suggestive stuff she not-so-secretly sought, which was probably why she had not included it in her collection out in the living room. However, so far, the main reasons the series had earned its mature rating were the rather graphic fight sequences. Of course, if the romance side of things continued to progress, perhaps that would end up matching the maturity rating? Still, the high adventure, action, fighting and such genres had always been more of Yoshiko’s thing.

“Yocchan…” Riko’s voice came from the doorway.

“Thanks for the tea, Riri.” Yoshiko replied, not looking away from the book. “It smells delicious.”

There was the sound of a tray being set down before the book was snatched from her grasp. “Where… did you find that?”

Oh… Oops… Yoshiko looked up to see the other girl blushing madly and chewing her lip nervously. Cute. She thought. By the gods, did she love seeing the redhead flustered.

“Riri,” the blue-haired girl sighed dramatically, “if you don’t want Yohane to find these things, you gotta hide them better. I mean I can see a couple dozen more from here.” She made a point of turning her head and tilting her chin to indicate her view under the bed.

“D-don’t look…” Riko pulled her blanket down in a vain attempt to obscure the other girl’s view.

There was no holding back the laugh that escaped Yoshiko’s mouth. “But seriously, Riri, you should have told me you liked that series.”

“Huh?”

“It’s one of my favorites.” Yoshiko pushed herself back up into a sitting position and turned to face the other girl. “And don’t tell me you’re surprised. A series about an angel that falls to earth to live among humans? How could Yohane pass up such an amazing theme?” She grinned. “And the girl she ends up staying with is amazing as well, but I think there is more to her than anyone else realizes, maybe even herself.” She couldn’t help getting excited as she spoke about the story.

“And she’s incredibly adorable. And kind. And talented.” Yoshiko continued. “I can definitely see why the angel fell for her. She is almost as as perfect as the most elite of Yohane’s own little demons.” She nodded her approval. “But geez, they’re both so dense!” Her shoulders slumped. “How has neither noticed that the other loves them? It’s so obvious!” She threw up her hands in exasperation. “See, that’s what I don’t get about all those romances you love, Riri…” She glanced over at the other girl, who she suddenly realized hadn’t said anything in a little while. “Riri?”

Riko’s blush had spread to her ears and she immediately looked away when her gaze met the other girl’s.

Yoshiko sighed and started to stand up. “Sorry, Riri, I didn’t mean to embarrass you that much. It’s just too much fun teasing you about your tastes in manga.” She took a step toward the redhead. “But I thought you might want to talk about this series since we both like… why are you backing away?”

“I’m fine…”

“That’s… not what I asked…” A confused expression crossed the blue-haired girl’s face. “And I wouldn’t believe you if it wa…. Wah!” Her foot caught something and she lurched forward. Windmilling her arms did nothing to correct her balance. “Riri, look out!”

_Thump_

Yoshiko’s palm impacted the wall, preventing her from falling.

“Y-Yocchan…” Riko murmured.

“Sorry, Riri…” The younger girl replied, looking up. Oh, wow…

That was not an expression Yoshiko was accustomed to seeing on the older girl. Riko stood, back pressed against the wall, clutching the book to her chest, blushing fiercely, and staring at her intensely. However, her eyes were not wide from fear, rather with a mixture of surprise and… something else… Yoshiko couldn’t readily place it, but it caused her heartrate to increase and heat to rise in her cheeks. And by the gods did that something make Riko look cute. Cute and, dare she think it, sexy? Yoshiko swallowed, suddenly aware of how dry her throat and lips felt… lips… Riko’s lips… She swallowed again.

Slowly, Riko closed her eyes.

Oh gods… Yoshiko felt her breath hitch as not only did the other girl’s adorableness skyrocket, but something clicked in her mind. Kabedon. It was nowhere near ideal since Yoshiko was shorter and leaning forward awkwardly as she had only intended to catch herself and not barrel into the other girl, but their current position still strongly resembled the position so often depicted in the popular romance manga of the day.

Riko tilted her chin down, just a little.

Was Riko expecting something from Yoshiko? What normally happened in the kabedon situation? Wait, was Riko expecting Yoshiko to kiss her? Oh gods…

No! Bad idea! A voice in Yoshiko’s mind yelled. You’ve lived with her this long. Don’t screw things up now by doing something stupid… or… stupider than usual…

Yoshiko felt her eyes close as she leaned forward. Despite knowing it would not end well, that her dismal luck would win out in the end and ruin things, a tiny glimmer of hope in the back of her mind wanted to believe that maybe, just maybe, Riko felt similar to her.

Yoshiko felt softness on her lips. Warmth radiated out into her body from the point of contact. However, despite the wonderful sensation, the war continued to rage within her. Pull away! Push deeper! Flee now! Fight on!

The arm Yoshiko was using to support herself wavered as it had been holding at an odd angle. No… Then, before she could scrape together a solution, it gave way. Yoshiko fell.

“Umph!” Riko grunted as her head was shoved against the wall.

Yoshiko winced as their teeth clashed against each other.

Something shattered in the fallen angel’s mind. Her eyes snapped open.

Oh no…

Reeling back, she tried to assess the situation but her vision was already starting to blur as liquid collected in her eyes. Was she crying?

“Yocchan?”

No. That was not the voice of someone losing themselves to bliss. Then again, who in their right mind would be lost in bliss after that fiasco? But what was that she heard? Sadness? Disappointment? Please don’t let it be anger.

This was wrong. Why in the nine hells had she done that?

“Yocchan?”

She didn’t remember turning away, but she did feel fingers brush against her arm as she retreated. And the next thing Yoshiko knew, she was in the hallway, headed for the exit. No time to mess with shoes. She could barely see as she fumbled with the doorknob.

“Wait!”

Finally, she pulled and glimpsed a thin beam of light from the other side…

“Yocchan!”

_Thump_

A hand slammed into the door, wrenching the knob from Yoshiko’s hand and snuffing out the light. Yoshiko turned the other way.

_Thump_

The other hand planted itself on the other side, trapping the confused girl.

“Yocchan why… hey, are you crying?”

Yoshiko sniffled. “I’m sorry, Riri…” She began to blubber. “I don’t know why I did that but I get it if you’re mad at me and hate me and…” want me to move out… her mind continued as her voice died in her throat.

The hands that, a mere moment ago, had so roughly slammed the door, gently descended to the shorter girl’s shoulders. Then they pulled and Yoshiko found herself in a tight embrace.

“I don’t hate you, Yocchan.” Riko said sofly. “I don’t think I ever could. To be honest, I was actually a little excited there for a moment when I thought you were trying to act out a scene from my manga. I mean, it was awkward, but so adorably you that I couldn’t help playing into it. Then you kissed me.” She started running her fingers through the other girl’s hair. “And it was wonderful…”

Yoshiko hiccuped. Did she hear that correctly? Riko had called the kiss wonderful?

“But then you ran away. Why did you run, Yocchan?”

Why did she run? Panic. But why had she panicked?

“… I was scared…” Yoshiko finally admitted after a moment.

“Of me?” Was that a hint of concern in the other girl’s voice?

“No, of losing you…”

“Oh…” Riko’s voice dropped to a whisper. “… the same…”

“Huh?” The same? Did that mean…? Yoshiko’s mind raced. Say something! Something other than huh!

Well, she had come this far. She didn’t think she could make things worse. Riko said she wasn’t angry and apparently felt the same. Perhaps it was time to just go for broke.

“I… lo…” Gods, why was it hard to say? “I love you, Riri…” She finally got out.

Riko gasped as she pulled back from the hug. She stared at the younger girl before her lips started to quiver and tears began to gather at the edges of her eyes.

“Riri?”

“…The same…” The redhead’s voice shook as the first tear slid down her cheek. “… I was right…”

“You mean you…?”

“Yes.” Riko nodded. “Yocchan, I… I… oh what was the point of practicing?”

Yoshiko couldn’t help a small laugh as she realized that she wasn’t the only one who was nervous and had a hard time saying those words. However, even if the words were not spoken, the intent was clear enough. Her confidence back on the rise, she closed the distance between them once again.

“Yoccha…?” Riko was cut off as lips were pressed into hers.

There was a lot less awkwardness this time, and significantly more desire. Emotions that had been ignored and repressed for months, years, came up from the depths to finally be acknowledged. And through the flood of new sensations, a sense of familiarity made itself known. When Riko’s hands roamed across Yoshiko’s back, it was if they had done so hundreds of times before. And as Yoshiko threaded her fingers through Riko’s hair, it felt as natural as breathing. Breathing… air… Yoshiko pulled back with a slight gasp.

“Yocchan…” Riko said in a plaintive tone, pulling her close again.

Oh, to hell with it, she could breathe later. Yoshiko gulped down one more breath before tilting her chin back up to meet Riko for another kiss. Part of Yoshiko wanted to scream and jump for joy. She was kissing Riko, the girl of her dreams, for the third time in about as many minutes. And she was reciprocating! And she was… wait… what?

“Riri?” Yoshiko questioned, pulling away as she felt fingers fidget with the hem of her shirt.

“Mmm…” Riko closed the distance again.

Yoshiko gasped as skin met skin but continued to press up into the kiss. Well, if that’s what Riri wants… and she’s initiating… Yoshiko could hear her heart trying to hammer its way out of her chest as she brought her own hands down the bottom button of Riko’s shirt and quickly undid it. No negative response. She continued with the second, the third…

A new sensation threatened to overwhelm Yoshiko as Riko’s tongue glanced across hers. Oh gods… this is the point where she would wake up in a cold sweat… Yet, she continued her way up the line of buttons as Riko’s hands continued to dance across her back. She reached the final button. She hadn’t awakened. Everything was still happening. However, she had to be certain.

“Riri…” Yoshiko pulled away again, earning a whine from the other girl. When she had established eye contact, she asked, “Are you sure?”

“Yes…” Riko responded without hesitation, her voice heavy with what Yoshiko hoped was desire. She leaned forward, this time bypassing Yoshiko’s lips so she could speak softly into the younger girl’s ear. “Yes, I’m sure.” She breathed. “I’m very sure. I want this.” Her fingers found the clasp she sought. “I want you, Yocchan.”

Yoshiko felt her confidence rising once again. And with it, the desire to do anything and everything, even the more… eclectic things from Riko’s hidden collection, just so long as it was with Riko.

“Are you sure, Yocchan?” Riko returned to her prior position so she could see the other girl’s reaction. “Do you want me as well?”

“Yes.” Yoshiko nodded. “I want you, Riri.” Gods, I’ve wanted you for so long…

Now assured in her actions, Yoshiko unfastened the last button. At the same time, a barely audible click sounded from behind her as the clasp was released. Immediately, two sets of hands began a fervent mission to explore undiscovered territory.

* * *

The blonde leaned back in her seat and smiled. “Finally.”

* * *

Yoshiko stared at the ceiling as she tried to catch her breath. Her body still tingled with unfamiliar sensations as her mind continued scrambling to process everything that had just happened in the last… however long it had been. She glanced over at the girl beside her.

Beautiful.

Riko also lay on her back, red hair splayed out across the pillow while her chest rose and fell in a manner that indicated that she was also recovering from their recent activities. Then she turned her golden eyes to Yoshiko and smiled. Yoshiko’s heartrate increased. By the gods did she love that smile.

“That was wonderful, Yocchan.” The older girl murmured.

“Mmm…” Was all of the agreement the younger girl could muster.

“How are you feeling?”

“Like I might wake up at any mome… Ow! Hey, Riri?” Yoshiko protested as she felt her arm being pinched. She looked over in time to see the other girl wince as she pinched her own arm as well. “Wha…?”

“We’re not dreaming, Yocchan.” The redhead turned onto her side to face the blue-haired girl before reaching out to run her hand across the spot one Yoshiko’s arm she had just pinched. “That really happened. We really…” her cheeks flushed a bit “did… all that…”

Yoshiko was about to laugh at the adorable reaction when her mental replay suddenly paused on a decidedly-less-than-positive reaction Riko had given earlier. “Riri, I’m sorry, I…” How to describe it?

Riko’s finger moved up to Yoshiko’s lips. “If you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking, you don’t have to apologize.” She smiled gently. “That was just our first time…” she pursed her lips in thought “first several times actually, but whatever,” she shook her head “so we’re both still learning. We’ll learn more the more we continue.” She paused for a moment before a surprisingly smug smirk crossed her lips. “Say, Yocchan…” She slid in close to whisper again in the blue-haired girl’s ear. “Do you want to learn more now?”

Yoshiko didn’t respond verbally. Instead she reached over, placed her hand on Riko’s shoulder and gently pushed the redhead onto her back. Quickly, she shifted herself up into a position above Riko. The smugness had disappeared from Riko’s smile, replaced with more genuine excitement and anticipation of what was to come. She reached up and pulled Yoshiko down into a kiss.

* * *

Yoshiko’s eyes opened slowly. Even in the darkened room, she could tell this wasn’t her bed. As the rest of her senses sluggishly kicked in, she could just make out the sound of gentle breathing from somewhere very close. She blinked a few times and was able to make out the figure of a girl laying next to her.

Riko. That’s right. That’s whose bed this was.

Between them, Yoshiko noticed a particular detail; Riko’s fingers poking out from under the blanket. Slowly, tentatively, Yoshiko slid her hand up until it covered the other girl’s. She froze as Riko suddenly murmured something unintelligible in her sleep, but relaxed as the redhead squeezed her hand.

Smiling, Yoshiko closed her eyes again and let sleep return to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Happy Life: Apocalypse” was also a possibility I considered, insofar as this is the end of the world as Yohane and Riko know it. A lot will change now; most importantly, they no longer have to hide or ignore their feelings for the other.
> 
> Also, for anyone who reads my other fic, HtHaN, they might note a striking difference in the pacing of the relationship development. HtHaN has a scene that focuses on the first date, another on the first kiss and yet another on the first time the two say “I love you.” And I still have yet to get around to writing anything that doesn’t simply refer to the first time they are physically intimate. However, unlike NicoMaki, which, for lack of better words, is bogged down a bit by Maki’s naïveté and both girls’ self-consciousness, Yohane and Riko have both been actively fantasizing about things for months; years on Yohane’s part.
> 
> Riko is obsessed with romance manga and I headcanon she spends a lot of time daydreaming about various scenarios that might play out between herself and a partner. This partner more and more often ends up being Yohane once the two move in together. And for her part, Yohane is also no stranger to imagining grand scenarios of her own as she continues to maintain her fallen angel persona. It is not hard to imagine her also dreaming about doing various things with the girl on whom she has a crush.
> 
> Like with HtHaN, I do intend to backtrack and write some scenes that better address the mounting tensions between these two girls, but I am still hedging some bets on details that might, or might not, be revealed in the movie. That said, if I have an idea that I believe does not rely on these things, I will happily write it before the movie is released.
> 
> Finally, I would apologize if the timing of this scene squanders the whole “will they/won’t they” thing, but honestly, I did that a while back with other scenes.


	17. My Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the Revelation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~2k  
> Rating: Probably closer to T than the last one  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Early college; likely Yohane’s 1st and Riko’s 2nd year  
> Story Arc: “Revelations”  
> Revelations  
> My Angel

Riko opened her eyes slowly. A smile came to her lips as her gaze fell on the girl sleeping beside her. What a wonderful sight to see when first waking up.

Granted, living with Yoshiko had given Riko no shortage of opportunities to witness her sleeping as the younger girl seemed capable of falling asleep just about anywhere. Riko still wasn’t quite sure how laying upside down on the couch, feet dangling over the back and head hanging over the front was comfortable for sleeping or playing video games, but it seemed a favored position for Yoshiko.

But seeing Yoshiko like this was different. First and foremost, she was in Riko’s bed. That fact alone warmed Riko’s heart. But she just looked so peaceful as she lay on her side, facing Riko, covered only in a blanket, Riko’s blanket, under which she lay as well. She also had one arm out so her hand could hold Riko’s to maintain a point of contact. Riko felt she could watch this scene for hours.

Her smile grew as memories of the previous night washed over her. It had been perfect… or at least as perfect as it could be as the two frantically fumbled through figuring things out while riding a rush of recently unrepressed emotions. So, in that light, it had been perfect enough. Riko chuckled a little at the thought.

“Nnn…” A soft sound emanated from the blue-haired girl as she suddenly stirred.

“Good morning, my angel.” The redhead murmured, reaching over to brush a stray strand of blue out of the other girl’s face.

“Fallen angel.” Yoshiko corrected, reaching up slowly to rub at her eyes before yawning.

“But an angel nonetheless.” Riko smiled.

A faint blush dusted Yoshiko’s cheeks as she returned a sleepy smile.

Cute. Yoshiko typically hid her embarrassment behind a wall of bravado and Riko always felt a little privileged when she was able to witness a more demure side of the younger girl.

“Sleep well?” Riko asked.

“Mmm… Yohane always sleeps well when Riri is near her…”

“Oh?” Riko racked her mind. “When did we…”

“Many times…” Yoshiko yawned again. “Like when we all stayed at Chika’s place… or Zuramaru’s… or Mari’s…”

“Even then?” That had been good enough for her?

“Mmm… And living here, knowing Riri was near made me very happy. But…” Her blush deepened as she glanced down to where they were still holding hands. “Yohane likes it here best…” She squeezed the other girl’s hand.

Riko’s chest tightened. So cute.

“Say, Riri…”

“Mmm?”

“Uhm… Are you sure…” Yoshiko’s shoulders scrunched up as she started to pull into herself.

“About?”

“Us… are you…”

“Yes.” Riko stated definitively.

“It’s just that you’re so beautiful and talented and…” She cut off as the older girl tapped her forehead.

Riko furrowed her brow. “Don’t you be selling yourself short, Yocchan. You’re beautiful and talented as well.”

A hint of a smile tugged at the edges of Yoshiko’s lips.

“Anyway, I said I was sure last night, and that hasn’t changed. Nor will it.”

Yoshiko looked up, her eyes filled with hope. “Really?”

“Yocchan. Living with you has been one of the best times in my life. And for a while, I honestly thought I could not be happier. Then I realized there were steps I could take that would make me even happier. And we took one of those steps just now… several actually… I, uhm…” Riko suddenly found herself fumbling for words. “I… didn’t actually… expect things to go that far last night…”

“But you were the one who…”

“I know. I know.” Riko could feel heat spreading across her cheeks. “I couldn’t help myself. I mean you kabedoned me, then kissed me, then confessed. And then we kissed again. And it was just so amazing that I wanted more and so I… well, uhm… yeah… I mean I’d been fantasizing about all of that for so long and suddenly it was actually happening and…”

Yoshiko blinked. “You fantasized about me?”

Oh… Riko realized she hadn’t actually meant to admit that. “Uhm… yeah… I did…”

Apparently, some of the younger girl’s confidence was returning because she suddenly smirked. “What kind of things did Riri fantasize about when she thought of Yohane?”

“Normal stuff!” Riko insisted, a little louder than she intended. “Just… stuff… like, uhm… kissing and… sometimes… stuff like what we did last night… sometimes…”

Yoshiko donned a hurt expression that Riko was fairly certain was fake. “Riri never imagined doing things with Yohane like in her manga?”

Yes… Many times… But gods help her if she could bring herself to admit it.

“Because Yohane would be willing to try some of those things with her favorite little… hrm…” The blue-haired girl’s expression turned thoughtful.

“Yocchan?”

“I’m sorry, Riri, but I don’t think I can call you my favorite little demon anymore.”

“What? Why?” What the heck kind of mood shift was that?

“Because my other little demons might get jealous.”

“Huh?” What did that have to do with…?

“Well, it’s one thing to claim you as my favorite, but this is a whole different level of favoritism.” Yoshiko continued to think out loud. “And besides, Riri really isn’t a demon anyway.”

“I’m not?” She wasn’t one of Yohane’s little demons? Why did that make Riko feel a little sad?

“Never was.” Yoshiko shook her head before displaying a toothy grin. “Riri is an angel.”

Oh… Oh!

“An angel ascended who came down to the mortal realm willingly to be with Yohane.” She closed her eyes and squeezed Riko’s hand again. “My angel. Surely, Yohane is not worthy of such divine favor.”

Riko was pretty sure her blush had spread to her ears and probably down her neck as well. Wait… My angel… “Hey, Yocchan, you’re just copying me from before.”

“So?” Yoshiko stuck out her tongue. “Doesn’t make Riri any less angelic.”

“I… I…”

“Now, c’mere.” Yoshiko reached forward to place a hand on Riko’s cheek. “Yohane demands a morning kiss from her angelic Riri.”

Riko complied by shifting herself toward the other girl. She then slid her arm around Yoshiko’s waist to pull her closer. For her part, Yoshiko slid her hand off Riko’s cheek to thread her fingers through her hair. As they both continued to deepen the kiss, something turned inside Riko. Acting on impulse, she reached up to Yoshiko’s shoulder and pushed.

“Riri?” Yoshiko questioned as she rolled onto her back.

Riko quickly moved to a position above the other girl. She stared down at her, believing her desires to be clear.

“Riri, Yohane demanded a morning kiss, not morning…”

“You don’t want to?”

Yoshiko blinked as though confused by the question. She then glanced down slowly, obviously taking in the view for a moment.

Riko shoved her embarrassment aside. It was to be expected, right? Yoshiko wanted to see Riko just like Riko wanted to see Yoshiko. And after everything they’d already done, she really shouldn’t be embarrassed, right?

Yoshiko’s gaze met Riko’s again. “Yes.” She nodded. “Yes, I wan…”

Riko didn’t let her finish as she leaned down for another kiss.

* * *

Riko sighed as Yoshiko slid off her. Immediately, she rolled onto her side and snuggled into the other girl. “That was amazing, Yocchan.” She marveled. “Even better than last night. How did you…”

“Yohane pays attention to what her angel wants.” Yoshiko’s smugness probably would have been more convincing if she wasn’t still trying to catch her breath.

Riko giggled. Then her gaze fell on the clock on the nightstand. “Oops…” She uttered.

“Mmm?”

“I think we’re a little late for class…”

Yoshiko glanced over as well. “Riri… that’s more than a little late…”

“Yeah, I know.” Riko laughed. “Oh well. It’s fine, I guess.”

The younger girl raised an eyebrow. “Are you feeling alright, Riri?”

“Of course. I feel wonderful!”

“I guess I figured you’d be more upset about missing class.”

“Today it’s fine.” The older girl assured. “Just for today. Today is a day of celebration.”

Yoshiko smiled.

“Today we celebrate our long overdue confessions.”

Yoshiko furrowed her brow. “You know, technically, you haven’t actually confessed to me yet, Riri.”

Riko blinked. “I haven’t?”

“Uh-uh.” The blue-haired girl shook her head. “I confessed and you just said that you felt the same. That’s not the same as actually saying it.”

“Oh… uhm…” The redhead chuckled nervously. “I’m sorry, Yocchan. I do feel the same way. Of course I lo…” Her voice faded. What the heck…

Yoshiko giggled. Riko pouted.

“Not so easy, is it?” Yoshiko smirked.

“But it should be!” Riko insisted. “I mean what’s the point of practicing saying it if I can’t say it when it matters?”

“You practiced?”

“Well… yeah… I mean, it’s important to tell someone that you love them, right? And I do love you, Yocchan. I’ve loved you for a while. And I’ve wanted to tell you for so long. And now here we are, having already done… all that, and I can’t even say it.”

Yoshiko laughed.

Riko closed her eyes as her own words registered in her mind. “You’re going to tease me about that, aren’t you.” She said as a statement more than a question.

“Probably.” Yoshiko craned her neck so she could plant a kiss on the other girl’s forehead. “I love you, Riri.”

“I love you too, Yocchan.” Riko nuzzled into the other girl’s shoulder before sighing. “I suppose things are going to change around here now, aren’t they?”

“You mean I won’t have to wait until you’re done with your bath before I get ready for bed?”

“Well, yeah, but… hey, my baths don’t take that long, do they?”

Yoshiko laughed. “I’m just kidding, Riri.”

“Anyway, what I meant was, something like, since we’re together, maybe we could have an actual guest bedroom.”

“Hrm…” Yoshiko pondered for a moment. “But I kind of like the way I have my room set up now. It works well for my streams. And no offense, Riri, but if you were to start moving in your stuff, all the pink would disrupt the ambiance.”

“Hmm… Alright, so still separate rooms, I guess. But what about beds?”

“What about them?”

“You… uhm… want to share one, right?”

“Oh yes, definitely. Yes.” Yoshiko nodded vigorously. “Yohane sleeps best when Riri is near.”

Riko smiled at the reaffirmation. “So…”

“Well, Riri’s bed is nice, but Yohane still likes her own as well… Maybe we can share mine tonight and see which one we like better?”

“Alright. That sounds good.”

“So what else is going to change?”

“Well, we have to decide if we’re going out now.”

“You mean we aren’t?”

Riko pursed her lips. “Technically, we’ve just slept together and done some… stuff… I mean that’s pretty much what friends with benefits do.”

“What are those?”

“Never mind.” Riko shook her head. “What I mean is that neither of us has actually asked the other out.”

“So, do you want to go out?”

Riko blinked. “That was… surprisingly blunt, Yocchan.”

The younger girl shrugged.

“I mean I guess I kind of expected you to be all dramatic and everything as a fallen angel.”

“Yohane can do that if that is what Riri wants.” Yoshiko moved her hand up to make her signature gesture by her eye.

The older girl laughed lightly. “It’s fine, I guess. And yes, I want to go out with you.”

Yoshiko smiled. “So, does this mean Riri is Yohane’s girlfriend now?”

“Yes, yes it does.”

“Riri is Yohane’s girlfriend.” The smile grew. “Riri is my girlfriend. My girlfriend…” She paused for a moment. “You know, I really like the sound of that.”

“And Yocchan is my girlfriend.”

“I like the sound of that too.”

“My Yocchan. My angel.” Riko reached up to caress the other girl’s cheek.

“Fallen angel.” The blue-haired girl corrected again, placing her hand on top of Riko’s.

“But an angel nonetheless.” The redhead was more than happy to repeat.

“And Riri is my angel ascended.” Yoshiko turned herself onto her side.

“I love you, Yocchan.” Riko said, moving her hand toward herself.

“I love you too, Riri.” Yoshiko replied, allowing herself to be guided toward her girlfriend until their lips met.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Truth be told, I was inspired to start writing this scene shortly after starting Revelations and ended up almost finishing it before getting even half way through the first scene of the arc. I ended up joking with another fic author that I was tempted to actually post this scene first and see how my readers reacted. Not that posting things out of chronological order is anything out of the ordinary for me, but I do kinda like to at keep the arcs orderly; slapping a side story in the middle of another chapter notwithstanding.
> 
> I was also tempted to post both scenes together as one big chapter, but I think I like them better separate as they both focus on a different girl’s perspective. Again, not that I am against shifting perspectives, deities know I’ve done it several times, and will likely do it again in future scenes, but these two still felt like two different chapters.
> 
> Finally, yes, Yoshiko’s emotional/confidence roller-coaster is intentional as I believe it to be in-character for the situation. I do see her as being a little bit more open - at least now that they are together - about her insecurities concerning her feelings of unworthiness for a relationship with someone like Riko. Honestly, I headcanon all four of the main girls in my fics as essentially being in awe of the fact that their partner is with them and/or look up to them and/or feel unworthy of them and/or the like. And they all have their own ways of displaying this feeling. It is one of my goals to properly convey these emotions to my readers.


	18. Little Lemons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yohane find quite the bargain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~800  
> Rating: K  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Sometime during their college years; likely early.  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone
> 
> Author’s Note: Just a short little scene inspired by [this post on Tumblr](https://ryqoshay.tumblr.com/post/169638431127/b4us-everythingstarstuff-cheap-demons-when).

“Welcome home!” Riko called from the kitchen when she heard the door open. “Did you get everything on the list I sent?”

“But of course!” Yoshiko’s proud voice came from the entryway. “The Great Yohane will not fail to deliver the requested goods to her angelic Riri!”

“Alright, this can sit for a moment.” The redhead said, moving the handle on the pan so it would not hang over the side of the stove. “Let me help you put everything away.” She turned to find her girlfriend already walking into the room. “Yocchan…” She uttered, her attention focusing on one particular bulging bag in which she spied an untold number of small yellow objects. “Are those lemons?”

“<Demons.>” The blue-haired girl corrected, in English, as she set her armload of bags on the table.

“<Demons?>” Riko repeated, unable to take her eyes off the sizable sack of citrus.

“While amidst the throng of aimless patrons, Yohane found herself drawn to a most wicked of displays.” Yoshiko pulled out her phone. “How could a fallen angel such as I resist such an incredible bargain?” She turned the screen towards the older girl.

Riko leaned in to see a closeup shot of a sign, written in English for some reason, announcing the price of the lemons. However, the employee who wrote the stylized capital L made the loop a little too large and as such, the letter could have easily been seen as a lowercase d.

“Surely Yohane would have procured more had she not already known the limitations of this wretched mortal shell.” Yoshiko continued to explain.

Riko sighed. “And what are you planning to do with all of these… <demons>?”

“<When life sells you demons, you make lemonade.>” The fallen angel said, as though it should be obvious.

“What.”

“Lemonade!” She bounced with excitement. “I’m going to do a stream tonight and show my little demons how to make lemonade! And,” she held up one of the lemons, “once that’s done, I can dry the peel in the oven and we can use it to cook or bake or whatever! Do you know how many recipes can use the irresistible zest of the demonic lemon?”

“I’m sure I’m going to find out.” Riko shook her head, resigning herself to weeks of lemon flavored food.

“You know we wouldn’t have to use it all at once.” Yoshiko must have noticed her girlfriend’s expression and continued explaining her plans. “Once dried and stored properly, the peel will last for a couple of years.”

“I see.” The older girl said, relieved. “Well, then could you do me a favor and get the rice going?”

“Absolutely!” The younger girl replied, immediately finding the bag among the rest of the groceries and heading over to the cooker.

“I still don’t know how we manage to run out of rice, of all things.” Riko commented, carrying a few items over to the cupboards. “I mean I know we’ve been busy this week, but…”

“It was fate!” Yoshiko declared as she measured the rice and dumped it in the device. “Had Riri not sent the request through the digital void to acquire additional accoutrements, Yohane would never have come across such a delightfully devilish deal.” She moved to the sink to fill the pot with water.

“Right…”

“Once again, the luck of the angel ascended has conquered the tragedy of the fallen.”

Riko blushed slightly and returned to the stove.

Yoshiko dropped the pot in the cooker, closed the lid and powered on the device. She then retrieved a knife and returned to the last bag on the table.

“What are you doing?” Riko inquired.

“Initiating the little demons.” The blue-haired girl explained as she began to carve some sort of symbol into the rind of one of the lemons. “They must be properly prepared for the rituals Yohane has in store for them later.”

“Say, Yocchan…”

“Hmm?”

“How exactly were you planning on making your lemonade?”

“What do you mean?”

“Were you just going to squeeze them by hand?”

“Of course not. I was going to use a juicer.” Yoshiko made a twisting motion with her hands as though using the item in question. “You know, one of those pointy cone things?”

“Yeah, I know what juicer is, but we don’t have one.”

The blue-haired girl blinked. “We don’t?”

The redhead shook her head. “No, we don’t.”

“I’ll… be right back…” Yoshiko quickly headed back to the door.

“Don’t be too long!” Riko called after her departing girlfriend. “Dinner will be ready as soon as the rice is done.”

“Alright!”

“Don’t get lost amidst the throng of aimless shoppers.”

“Of course not.”

“And don’t get drawn in by another wicked display!”

“I won’t!” If Yoshiko said anything else, it was cut off by the door closing behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This may be the quickest I’ve ever written a scene. I wish I could write them all this easily.


	19. Angelic Swap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every once in a while, a change might be nice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~1k  
> Rating: T?  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Sometime during their college years; likely early.  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone

“Yocchan.” Riko called, eying the costumes laid out on the bed.

“What’s up, Riri?” Yoshiko responded, walking out of the bathroom, still drying her hair.

“Do you want to maybe, uhm, swap costumes tonight?”

“Riri wants to play the part of the fallen angel this time?” Yoshiko couldn’t help smirking.

“Actually, I was remembering that one photoshoot from back in high school.” Riko admitted. “The one where we all wore angel costumes. I remember you looked really cute in yours, and it got me thinking that I don’t often get to see you wear white these days.”

“I’d wear more white if you had more white for me to steal.” Yoshiko’s smile grew as she commented on her own habit of borrowing Riko’s clothes, often to wear as pajamas, but other times just because.

Riko laughed lightly in response. She had plenty of white in her wardrobe, but there was no denying that she preferred soft pastels with pink being the dominate shade in many of her outfits. Pink was her favorite color, after all; had been since childhood.

Also, despite Yoshiko’s word choice, she had never outright stolen anything of Riko’s, always returning the items promptly when she was done. That said, the moment the two had started dating, the younger girl seemed to consider everything of Riko’s to be hers as well; particularly clothes. It had annoyed Riko at first, but she quickly became accustomed to it and now found it rather amusing. Then again, that described many of the blue-haired girl’s habits.

“And Riri doesn’t wear nearly enough black.” The blue-haired girl continued.

That was only partially true, as Riko had recently started borrowing some of her girlfriend’s clothes in return. However, she generally avoided the fallen angel style outfits, much to Yoshiko’s chagrin.

But today was different. Today was Halloween.

Last night the couple had been invited to a party hosted by the club Yoshiko joined at her school. Riko had been worried she would feel out of place in her bright white angel costume, but Yoshiko had assured her that not everyone in the club was as obsessed with black as she was. Tonight, they were headed to another party with their friends from Aqours. Though Yoshiko had been right about last night, Riko had no such reservations about tonight. If anything, she wanted to try something a little different.

“Hmmm…” Yoshiko said, picking up the white angel costume. Certainly, she wasn’t outright opposed to the idea of wearing a more… traditional angel costume. And she was definitely excited to see her girlfriend in the fallen angel version. But there was something else that caught her attention… “Smells like Riri…” she murmured, holding the garment closer. That’s right, they hadn’t washed the costumes yet.

Normally, when Yoshiko borrowed clothes from Riko, they had been laundered since the last time they had been worn. They still held remnants of Riko’s fragrance, or perhaps it was just Yoshiko’s imagination, but it was ultimately the principle of the matter; wearing Riko’s clothes made Yoshiko feel closer to her girlfriend.

However, when it came to washing, the costumes were a different matter. With all the frills and lace, the two garments required special attention. Since the couple had only worn them for a few hours last night and would be wearing them again tonight, they hadn’t bothered. Which meant…

Yoshiko looked up to catch her girlfriend fidgeting furiously with the hem of the black dress still on the bed. Was that the blush of someone who had just come to an embarrassing realization or one of being called out on ulterior motives? Not that Yoshiko really minded either way, but she found herself hoping more for the latter. Learning more of her girlfriend’s secret fetishes was always enjoyable, though some had not been nearly as secret as the redhead had thought.

“D-do you not want to switch?” Riko asked quietly.

“Riri misunderstands me.” Yoshiko couldn’t help slipping into her fallen angel mode and holding up to fingers by her eye. “To be clad in garb imbued with her beloved Riri’s essence is one of Yohane’s greatest pleasures. To know that Riri will be clad in mine is nothing short of an honor.”

Riko smiled. For a moment, Yoshiko’s observation felt like it would leave her self-conscious all night. Leave it to her girlfriend to reassure her again, even if her methods were decidedly overdramatic.

Yoshiko’s eyes widened. “Hey, idea!” She practically skipped over to the dresser to retrieve something. “If Riri’s playing the part of the fallen angel tonight, she should wear this!” She held out the item proudly.

“Yocchan…” Riko breathed, recognizing one of her girlfriend’s favorite accessories; a large black feather. Gently, she accepted the adornment.

“You cannot release your full power without it!”

“It would be nice if you had a white one for yourself.” The redhead thought aloud. “Though didn’t you wear one for that photoshoot?”

“I did. That was mine.” The blue-haired girl made her way back to the dresser and opened a different drawer. “A fallen angel such as myself may only wear it under certain circumstances, though.” She turned to her girlfriend to reveal the accessory. “Riri, however…” She grinned. “An angel like you may wear it whenever she so desires.”

Riko opened her mouth to respond, but ended up only blushing.

A thoughtful expression crossed Yoshiko’s face as she examined the white feather. “I probably should have lent it too you last night. Sorry, I didn’t think about it.”

“That’s alright.” Riko laughed lightly. “Thank you for letting me borrow this one tonight.”

“The pleasure is entirely mine, of that Yohane assures you.” Yoshiko displayed a toothy grin. “Let’s get these on quick so I can build you a proper receptacle for that.” She motioned to the black feather.

Riko smirked. “While I won’t turn down the offer, I’ll have you know I am able to make a bun myself.”

“It’s no ordinary bun!” The younger girl insisted. “It is a conduit through which one may channel the powers of a fallen angel!”

“Alright, alright.” The older girl chuckled. “Do you want me to help you with yours?”

“We must do yours first so I may reveal to you the proper technique.”

“Very well. Let’s get changed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to continue this scene on through the party itself, but I’ve hit a wall. And I was unable to get past it before Halloween this year, so I guess there is always next year.
> 
> Card Referenced:
> 
> I’d link Riko’s Angel card again, except it wasn’t directly mentioned.


	20. Quirky Cooking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A normal breakfast at the Sakurauchi Tsushima residence?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~1.4k  
> Rating: G  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Sometime during their college years.  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone

Yoshiko opened her eyes slowly. Turning her head, she immediately squeezed them shut again. “Ughn…” she groaned as her eyelids were unable to fully shield her from the deadly laser shining through the bedroom window and red splayed out across her vision. Draping an arm across her eyes helped a little before she rolled over and away from the light.

What time is it? Yoshiko reluctantly opened her eyes just enough to catch sight of alarm clock. She sneered when she noticed the time. As much as she wanted to stay in bed longer and continue to shun the sun’s very existence, her day-dwelling little demons had plans this morning.

Sitting up with a yawn, the blue-haired girl started to stretch. She shifted her shoulders swiftly to the side and giggled as her spine did its best to mimic the sound of a machine gun. Cocking her head, she finished the job with the last few discs in her neck. Next, she intertwined her fingers to crack the joints there, then continued with movements to catch her elbows and knees as well.

Lastly, she spread her arms wide and back to push her shoulder blades together before moving her arms forward and pulling her shoulder blades apart. She repeated this process several times in an effort to loosen knots that always seemed to form on her back, between her shoulders, as if reacting to wings that were no longer there. At least that’s what she liked to think.

The first part of her morning routine complete, Yoshiko was just starting to feel awake. As such, her other senses started to kick in, and the first thing she noticed was a pleasant smell. Food. Someone was cooking. A smile came to her lips as she slid out of bed and headed toward the kitchen. She came to a halt as she rounded the corner and caught sight of a lovely redhead standing by the stove. Her smile grew wider as she continued to stare, unabashedly.

Angelic.

Though Yoshiko still held on to her fallen angel persona and liked to call her friends her little demons, she hadn’t referred to one, in particular, as a demon for several years. Because Riko was an angel. Her angel. And there were many times, Yoshiko almost believed it was literally true, that the older girl was actually a heavenly creature sent down to the mortal realm to be with her, like some sort of divine apology for letting her fall. Of course, such a thing was impossible, but it made for a nice thought.

Finally, after staring for who knew how many minutes, Yoshiko decided that simply seeing wasn’t enough. Slowly, she moved towards her humming girlfriend until she was right behind her.

Riko jumped a little, surprised by the arms that wrapped around her waist. “Good morning, Yocchan.” She said, relaxing into the embrace. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yohane always sleeps well when Riri is with her.” Came a quiet reply, nowhere near the volume the younger girl generally reached. But it was still early in the day and both knew Yoshiko was not a morning person.

Riko smiled at the sentiment, as she felt the same. Since the two of them started sharing a bed, she had slept better than ever before. For a moment, she contented herself with the contact, but eventually she remembered the task at hand. She opened her eyes and returned her attention to the pan in front of her.

“Chika-chan and You-chan will be here shortly.” Riko spoke up. “But you should still have enough time to get ready.”

At the mention of the former school idol group leader’s name, Yoshiko felt a pang of something she had tried to bury for years, but had never fully succeeded. She knew it was foolish, but she couldn’t help it. Acting on impulse, Yoshiko suddenly tightened her embrace and started swaying back and forth, pulling her girlfriend along.

“Y-Yocchan!?” Riko questioned, trying to hold herself steady. “W-what are you doing?”

“Yohane demands her morning kiss from her Riri!” Yoshiko intoned, trying to turn the other girl around in her arms.

“I’m busy right now, and if I don’t pay att… ah!” The redhead cut off with a gasp as teeth scraped across the nape of her neck, sending a decidedly delightful sensation down her spine.

Giving in to her own desires, Riko turned, grabbed her girlfriend’s cheeks and pulled her into a kiss. Yoshiko responded instantly, reaching up to wrap her arms around the taller girl’s neck. Unbeknownst to either, when Yoshiko pushed Riko back, they bumped a knob on the stove, which turned up the heat on the burner. After a little while, a strange smell caught the attention of the pair.

Riko’s eyes snapped open as she peeled away from the kiss in a panic. Wrenching herself free from Yoshiko’s embrace, she turned back towards the stove to find the food she had been preparing to be far darker than it should be. Quickly, she grabbed the pan handle and dragged it off the heat before turning the knob to the off position.

“Yoshiko.” The redhead said sternly, causing the blue-haired girl behind her to flinch, though more at the name being used than the tone. “What have I told you about distracting me while I’m cooking?”

“Uhm…” Yoshiko fumbled for words as she backed a few steps away from her angry girlfriend. She knew the answer, but found herself unable to give it.

Riko sighed. “What am I going to do with you?” Her voice softened again. She was partly to blame for the situation as well, so she knew she couldn’t take it all out on the younger girl.

“I’ll still eat it…” Yoshiko offered quietly.

“I know you will.” Riko chuckled and shook her head. “You know sometimes I think you do that kind of stuff on purpose.”

Yoshiko stiffened.

Riko blinked. “Don’t tell me…”

The shorter girl looked up with a sheepish smile.

“Yocchan…” the redhead returned to using her favored nickname. “Why?” Deities knew Riko was clumsy enough to make plenty of mistakes while cooking, without additional distractions. The only thing preventing all that food from being wasted was her girlfriend’s eclectic tastes that allowed her to eat, and even enjoy, everything she had destroyed.

“Because it’s the only way I can make sure I don’t have to share Riri.” The blue-haired girl mumbled.

“Share me?”

“You’re cooking!” Now Yoshiko was definitely panicking. “I meant I didn’t want to have to share Riri’s cooking!”

Riko bit her lip to keep from laughing, but ended up snorting through her nose instead. At the sight of her girlfriend’s pained expression, she stepped forward to close the distance between them. She reached out and pulled Yoshiko into a tight hug.

“Well you’re going to have to share my cooking one way or another.” She said softly, resting her chin on the other girl’s shoulder. “But, I’m more than happy to make something special for you whenever you want.” She smiled as her girlfriend returned the hug. “And one of us is going to have to make something palatable for our guests. I think we both know that’s going to have to be me.”

“I suppose…”

Riko laughed lightly. “But you’ll never have to share me, Yocchan.” She nuzzled her cheek against Yoshiko’s before pulling away to make sure she had eye contact. “I’m yours. Happily.”

“And Yohane belongs to Riri.” Yoshiko replied with a small smile.

“That you do.” Riko said, pecking a quick kiss on the other girl’s lips. “Now go get ready. You know those two are going to be late, but I still need to start over on breakfast.”

“Sorry…”

“And I hope you’re hungry, because as you can see there is a lot in that pan.”

“If Riri makes it, Yohane will eat it!” Yoshiko declared proudly.

“I know.”

“Worry not, my fair maiden.” Yoshiko’s voice dropped low. “Your fallen angel, Yohane, will return to you momentarily. But should you need her sooner, just summon Yohane and she will surely appear by your side.”

“Will do.” Riko laughed, glad to see her girlfriend returning to her happy self.

Satisfied with the reply, Yoshiko grinned before turning and hurrying towards the bedroom.

“I love you, Yocchan!” Riko called after the departing girl.

“I love you too, Riri!” Yoshiko echoed back from down the hall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yoshiko’s morning routine is borrowed from that of an individual I used to date. Their spine cracking sounding like a machine gun was a joke between us because it was loud enough that there were mornings that I did not need an alarm clock. I haven’t decided how I want Riko to react to this just yet, so I didn’t have her in bed this time to witness it.
> 
> Part of this scene is also lifted from my own HtHaN’s scene, Morning, which is itself inspired by many other similar scenes, both in fan and professional works. As I continue to write both HtHaN and HL, I will undoubtedly reuse ideas between them, to see how the different couples handle similar situations. Plus, I can get that much more use out of the same spark of inspiration. And if Hollywood can recycle its own content, so can I.


	21. Angel Food

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yoshiko wants to celebrate Riko's birthday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~1.1k  
> Rating: T for a Taste of suggestiveness at the end  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Probably sometime during their college years.  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone

“I’m home!” A voice called from the door.

“Wha?! Riri?!” Yoshiko cried. “Y-y-you’re early!” A moment later, she rushed into the entryway.

“Yeah.” Riko said with a smile. “They sent me home early because it’s a special day today. But why are you here so early as well?”

“Th-they sent me home early as well!” the blue haired girl said quickly. “A-anyway…”

“What is that all over you?” The redhead pointed to various splatters, many of which had passed the protection of the apron and made it to the other girl’s clothes, face and even her hair. “And what’s that smell?” She sniffed the air curiously.

“Don’t go in the kitchen!” Yoshiko practically shouted, holding her arms out as if to block the way.

“Yocchan…” Riko’s expressing a mix of confusion, concern and amusement; quite common when dealing with her favorite fallen angel. “What are you making?”

Yoshiko dropped her arms as her shoulders slumped. Why was she bothering to try to hide it anyway? The surprise was already busted. “A cake…” She admitted quietly. “For your birthday…”

“A normal cake?” Amusement became the predominant tone.

“I don’t know. I couldn’t get it to taste right.”

Riko laughed. “Is it done?”

“Maybe?”

“Let’s see it.”

“Uhm…”

Despite her girlfriend’s hesitation, Riko slipped past her and headed for the kitchen. “Yocchan…” She couldn’t help gasping as she took in the disaster area before her.

Practically every spoon, spatula and mixing bowl they owned lay strewn about. A pile of what looked like sugar spilled off the counter onto the floor. Flower dusted much of the table and also spilled onto the floor. A lone egg lay shattered on a chair, for some reason, its contents threatening to join the powder and crystals below. Something dark peeked out above the rim of the waste bin; undoubtedly the remnants of the first attempt or two.

And the splatters. By the gods, the splatters. They were everywhere. Bright red, dark brown and creamy white splotches, that under different circumstances, might be considered abstract art. And Yoshiko’s clothes were by no means the limit as even more could be found on the table, the counter, the stovetop, the floor, the wall and… Riko look up… sure enough, even the ceiling. How? Just… how?

In the middle of it all, sat what could possibly be called a cake. Maybe?

The irregularly slouched pastry looked like something hadn’t been mixed right so as to limit its rising. Or, perhaps the pan had been greased, if Riko remembered some of You’s advice from years past. The roughhewn layers had been overstuffed with haphazardly chopped strawberries and in the middle of the ring sat a globular mass of what may have once been melted chocolate. What was the word You had used? Seized? Riko’s gaze found the double boiler on the stove and guessed that steam from overheating it had affected its contents.

“I have enough ingredients for another.” Yoshiko spoke up after a moment of awkward silence. “But I thought I’d have more time…”

Riko sighed. “Before you add to this mess, let’s… uhm…” She glanced at the cake-like thing, “give it a try first? It might be edible?”

“Alright!” The younger girl immediately brightened at the prospect of her girlfriend being willing to try what she had made. She practically skipped over to the cupboard to grab two plates, not losing speed even when slipping on one of the strawberries on the floor. She then retrieved a knife and went back to the table. Grinning manically, she carved viciously into the dessert. “Behold, Riri!” She said, sliding the slice onto a saucer. “Yohane’s Special Fallen Angel Food Cake!”

Here goes nothing… Riko reached a fork cautiously to the questionable confectionery. She cut off a small piece of the cake, ensuring she had a slice of fruit and slid it across the chocolate to get a bit of everything. Upon moving it towards her mouth, she hesitated, but when she saw the look of anticipation on her girlfriend’s face, she quickly shoved it in her mouth.

“Yocchan, this…” She blinked, chewed and swallowed. Before speaking again, she gathered another mouthful on her fork. “This is actually pretty good.” She took another bite.

“But of course!” Yoshiko stood to pose dramatically. “Yohane will do anything to please her beloved angel, Riri!”

The older girl giggled. “You should try it.” She held out her fork.

The blue-haired girl leaned forward to accept the offered treat. “Delicious…” She murmured.

“It’s not what I would expect chocolate covered strawberry angel food cake to taste like, but it’s not bad.” Riko continued. “Oh no…” Her eyes widened.

“What?”

“I think I’m beginning to develop your strange sense of taste, Yocch… Kyaa!” She cut off as something wet struck her face. “What the heck was th… kyaa!” Another strike. Riko dragged a finger across her cheek and held it out for inspection. It was a tiny bit of cake batter. Her eyes turned to her girlfriend who was preparing to flick another splattering at her from off the table. “Yocchan!” She barked, blocking the incoming glob.

For her part, Yoshiko only giggled and flicked another splatter before dodging a strawberry that was launched at her. “Yohane 2, Riri 0!” She cried merrily, rounded the corner of the table to avoid the other girl. “Gah!” She yelped as a handful of sugar splashed across her.

“How much did that count for?” Riko asked with a smirk.

“Only one!” Yoshiko replied, sending a strawberry projectile toward her opponent.

The two angel food fight combatants laughed as they circled the table and exchanged volleys of whatever loose ingredients they could get their hands on in the devastated kitchen. By about ten or twelve or possibly more hits each, they had lost count and merely continued the battle for no other reason than to get the other as messy as possible.

“Gotcha!” Riko said sternly, slamming a hand against the refrigerator near the shorter girl’s head.

The position only trapped Yoshiko on one side, meaning she could easily escape to the other side if she wanted to.

If she wanted to.

Yoshiko met the gaze of her girlfriend directly while they both took a moment to catch their breath. Eventually, she glanced down. “So…” She began quietly. “Did you actually like my cake, or were you just saying that to make me feel better?”

Riko smiled gently. “I liked it.”

“Really?” Yoshiko looked up with hopeful eyes.

“Really.”

“I really wanted to make you a good gift this year.”

“But Yocchan…” Riko leaned forward until her head was beside her girlfriend’s. “I already have the best gift I could ever hope for.”

“Oh?”

“You.” She whispered in the other girl’s ear.

“Happy birthday, Riri.” Yoshiko said before shivering with delight as the redhead licked a bit of chocolate off the edge of her jaw.

“I love you, Yocchan.” Riko said, reaching another splatter mark on her girlfriend’s neck.

“I love you too, Riri.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, another food themed scene, and most likely not the last. How can I pass up the easy joke of Yohane’s strange tastes? It’s an easy foundation on which to build a scene.
> 
> I had originally though I would have Yohane make Riko’s favorite foods, hard boiled eggs and sandwiches, but those aren’t quite as easy to make birthday themed, so cake it was. And given various things, angel food cake was practically a no-brainer. Toss in Yohane’s favorites, chocolate and strawberries, and we’re good to go.


	22. Phobetor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yoshiko brings home yet another animal, despite there being rules against pets in the apartment complex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~1.5k  
> Rating: K  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Late college? Young adult, post college? (May change as I write more)  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone

Riko pulled an earbud out of her ear. Did she just hear the front door open and close?

“Yocchan?” She called.

No response.

Maybe her girlfriend was also listening to music and hadn’t heard her; wouldn’t be the first time. But instead of the sounds of someone casually taking off their shoes, she heard something else. A meow.

Quite, but plaintive, and Riko wouldn’t have heard it had she not been listening. The hiss of someone trying to hush the animal was a bit more distinctive.

“Yocchan.” Riko repeated, moving toward the entry.

“Riri! Hi!” Yoshiko greeted the redhead rounding the corner. “I didn’t know you were home.”

Riko’s gaze fell on what looked like a box being covered by Yoshiko’s coat. “Another one.” She asked, though more a statement than a question.

“A-Another what?” The blue-haired girl started to stammer. “I-I don’t know w-what you’re talking about, Riri…”

Riko fixed her girlfriend with a flat stare, causing the younger girl to squirm uncomfortably. But when another, louder mew emanated from the box, an expression of concerned empathy crossed Yoshiko’s face and she quickly knelt beside the box.

“Shhh, I’m here, Phobetor.” She cooed, removing her coat. “Everything’s alright. Yohane will get you some food in a moment.”

Riko sighed and walked over to get a better view of the new animal her girlfriend had brought in. A solid black kitten with one eye of brilliant emerald and one of glittering gold met her gaze for a moment before turning its attention to the hand Yoshiko reached toward it. Yoshiko’s bad habit of picking up strays whenever she found them was becoming more frequent and it was becoming a greater concern for Riko.

“We’re going to get found out one of these days.” The older girl commented. “This place was an incredibly lucky find and I’d rather not get evicted.”

“It’s just for a few days.” Yoshiko insisted. “Just until I can find someone to take him in.”

Riko shook her head, unsure how far she wanted to push the issue. Yoshiko had always been true to her word and had been able to find a new owner for every animal within a week. But part of Riko wished they could find a place that allowed pets that they could afford. Even with as much as she loved this apartment, she would give it up in a heartbeat if it meant her girlfriend could finally keep one of the animals she adored so much. Unfortunately, with as many other pet lovers as there were in the area, the best deals were snatched up quickly.

“C’mon Phobetor,” Yoshiko said, picking up the box, “let’s go get you something to eat.” That said, she headed for the kitchen where she kept a small stash of pet food for times such as these.

No sooner had the younger girl rounded the corner than a knock came at the door. Riko furrowed her brow; they weren’t expecting visitors today. Perhaps one of the neighbors wanted something? She squinted through the peephole before recoiling in shock. The landlord?!

The older woman in the hallway knocked again.

Riko hastily unlocked the door and opened it. “G-Good afternoon, Tanaka-san!” She struggled vainly to keep the nervousness out of her voice. “W-what brings you here this fine day?”

“I’m here to see Tsushima-san, if she’s available.” Mrs. Tanaka said with a smile.

“Y-Yocchan!” Riko turned and called into the apartment. “The landlord would like to speak to you…”

The sound of something dropping came from the kitchen before being followed by a curse. After a moment, however, the blue-haired girl sauntered around the corner.

“Hey, Tanaka-san!” Yoshiko greeted, far too cheerily. “Good to see you again!”

“Taking in another guest again, I see.” The woman said, her smile never faltering.

“W-what?” The fallen angel stopped in her tracks.

“Again?” Riko furrowed her brow.

Tanaka chuckled as she turned to the redhead. “Your girlfriend isn’t as stealthy as she believes.”

“Phobetor!” Yoshiko suddenly shouted, turning to run. “Retre-eek!” She was stopped short as a strong hand clamped down on the back of her collar.

“Yoshiko.” Riko’s tone was warning enough to the younger girl to not try anything further, but the name choice punctuated the point.

The landlord laughed at the display. “I think you’re misunderstanding the nature of my visit, Tsushima-san.”

“Wha?” The blue-haired girl turned back toward the older woman.

“I’ve come to inform you two that I am considering lifting the ban on pets here.”

Yoshiko’s eyes widened. “Really?” Her voice became excited. “Why?”

“Yocchan… that’s…” Riko shook her head.

“It’s a perfectly valid question.” Tanaka stated. “As you probably do not know, the reason the ban was first issued was because my husband is quite allergic to pet dander and we used to live on site. Also, as we did most of the maintenance ourselves, he had to be able to enter the units and not break out.”

“I see…” Riko nodded.

“However, we moved out years ago and with the two of us getting up in age, our daughter and her husband have taken over the maintenance duties. And neither of them are allergic.”

“So why not get rid of the ban back then?” Yoshiko inquired.

“I’m not sure, honestly.” Tanaka admitted. “I guess we kept the ban more out of habit than anything else. However, with Sakuraouchi-san’s recent inquiry about the ban, we began to reconsider it and we have decided to lift it. And while we see no reason for it to affect your monthly fees, I am afraid we must at least request an additional deposit.”

“That’s… reasonable…” Riko’s mind was working its way through the relief that neither she nor her girlfriend were in trouble as well simultaneously reeling from the realization that Yoshiko might finally be able to have the pet she wanted.

“We do try to be reasonable with our tenants when possible.” The landlord smiled. “Years ago we agreed to let a previous tenant of this unit sound proof one of the rooms.”

“I know.” Riko nodded. “That’s one of the reasons I wanted to move here.”

“Such a lovely couple they were.” Tanaka thought back. “If memory serves, the redhead of that pair was a pianist as well.”

“Redheaded pianists are the best.” Yoshiko said with a grin.

“Anyway, you two have been good tenants, certain dalliances notwithstanding,” she smirked at the blue-haired girl who fidgeted slightly “so we thought it best to be reasonable with your request.”

“Thank you.” Riko said sincerely.

“Well, I won’t keep you any longer, as I’m sure you have errands to run for your new… familiar.”

As if on cue, a mewling cry came from the kitchen.

“So as soon as we draft the new paperwork, I’ll drop by to have you two sign it.” The land lord continued. “I’ll message you the deposit amount ahead of time so I can collect that as well.” That said, she turned toward the door, but paused. “One last thing, Tsushima-san.”

“Yes?” Yoshiko responded.

“Phobetor?”

“I think it suits him.”

“I see.” The older woman nodded. “Very well then, until we draft the new contract, I must ask that you not allow your familiar to become the god of my nightmares. Please do not make me regret reconsidering our rules on pets.”

“Yohane always ensures her little demons and hell spawned familiars are on their best behavior.” Yoshiko held her fingers to her eye in her signature gesture.

“Very well then, see you two later.”

As soon as Riko closed the door, she turned to find her girlfriend practically shaking with excitement. “Yes, we can keep him.” She answered the question before it was asked and quickly braced for impact.

Yoshiko burst forward into the waiting arms of her girlfriend. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Riri!”

“You should be thanking Tanaka-san.” Riko replied, running her fingers gently through blue hair. “And whatever deity is looking out for us these days…”

“The misfortunes of a fallen angel are easily countered and often overcome by the blessings of an angel ascended.” The younger girl murmured into her girlfriend’s shoulder. “You really asked Tanaka-san to allow pets?”

“I did.” The older girl said quietly. “I want you to be happy, Yocchan. And I know having a cat or dog of your own would make you happy. And I figured the worst they could say was no.”

“Thank you, Riri.” Yoshiko repeated. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Yocchan.”

Another meow sounded, causing Yoshiko to pull away from the embrace. “Phobetor!” She gasped. “Tanaka-san was right! I need to get supplies! I have food to last a few days, but he’s going to need more that that! He needs toys! And treats! A good familiar needs treats! And…”

“Alright, alright.” Riko laughed, placing a hand on the shoulder of the excitable girl. “I’ll keep an eye on him while you’re gone. I was actually just about to spend some time on the piano. Perhaps I’ll start him early on music appreciation.”

“I’m sure he’ll love it, Riri.” The shorter girl pushed up to peck a kiss on her girlfriend’s lips. “I’ll be back in a bit!” That said, she stooped to start putting her shoes back on.

“See you then.” Riko replied, moving towards the kitchen to collect her girlfriend’s… no, their new fami… little de… kitten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve had notes for a scene like this since an entry in Dengeki G’s Magazine revealed Yohane has a soft spot for abandoned pets. Then came episode 5 of the second season of the anime and I absolutely needed to write this. As it took me until after the 6th episode was released, I was tempted to throw in a random “Welcome to Hell Zone” somewhere, perhaps after it is revealed that Yohane may keep the kitty, but for some reason it didn’t seem to fit. Perhaps I’ll come back to this scene later and try to work it in then? It’s not of extreme importance, but I would like to include the phrase in a scene eventually; it’s just too good to exclude.


	23. Oneiroi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yohane wants to summon Phobetor's brothers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~1.3k  
> Rating: K  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Late college? Young adult, post college? (May change as I write more)  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone
> 
> Fun with languages. I apologize in advance for any confusion caused by the style I’ve chosen to use for this scene. Riko is the audience surrogate in the scene so what she understands will be translated. With Japanese being the primary language spoken, and Riko obviously being fluent, this will be presented fully translated as per usual. Other languages that Riko understands will also be translated, but will be enclosed in brackets and identified in the narrative when they are used. The language that Riko does not understand may be the cause of confusion as I’ve decided to have a little fun with Google Translate.
> 
> What I typed into Google Translate, and its context, will be provided in my notes at the end of the scene.

Riko glanced up from her manga as she was just barely able to hear a low voice intoning something from the other room. Was it that time already? Smiling to herself, she slipped a bookmark between the pages and reached for her laptop. There, she typed the first character of a website, let the browser autocomplete the address and hit Enter. The site loaded her credentials and brought up the homepage with the single channel she followed. While the stream connected, she slipped her earbuds in, leaned back down, pulled the computer onto her stomach and settled in to watch.

“As many of my little demons already know,” the blue-haired girl was saying when the video finally appeared on screen, “a familiar has joined the Great Yohane’s ranks.” She reached forward to adjust the camera to reveal said familiar. “Meet Phobetor!”

Riko sighed. They’d had the cat for less than a week and her girlfriend was already pulling him into her rituals. Wait… The redhead craned her neck closer to her screen. Where the heck had Yoshiko found kitten-sized horns and cape accessories? It wasn’t that close to Halloween yet, was it?

For his part, Phobetor was being surprisingly cooperative. He sat on a folded blanket in the middle of a complex summoning circle his owner had drawn. He was quietly grooming himself, licking his paw before brushing it over his face and ears, yet was avoiding pushing the horns off his head.

“Phobetor.” Yoshiko called affectionately. The young cat paused his cleaning and looked up at the camera. He knew his name already? He hadn’t responded as such to Riko yet. “Say hello to the rest of my little demons.”

As if actually understanding the request, the kitten opened his mouth and let out a meow.

“Good boy.” Yoshiko giggled playfully and reached down to rub under Phobetor’s chin. “Now,” the fallen angel said, standing again, “what say we summon up your brothers?”

The kitten’s response was to resume grooming himself.

“What say we start with Phantasos?” Yoshiko adjusted the camera again before making her way to the edge of the circle.

Phobetor yawned before starting to knead the blanket.

“Phantasos!” The fallen angel intoned. “Σας διατάζω να εμφανιστείτε μπροστά μου!” She closed her eyes and spread her arms wide, pulling her cape out in a grandiose display.

Riko wrinkled her brow. That didn’t sound quite like the Latin she was accustomed to hearing the younger girl use. She was no master of linguistics, but she was taking classes in Latin so she could better understand many of Yoshiko’s rituals.

“Ελα! Γίνετε μέλος στον αδελφό σας εδώ στην ηθική σφαίρα!”

As Yoshiko continued her incantations Phobetor stopped his kneading and began to look around the room. Eventually his gaze settled on something off camera and after a moment, he hopped off his blanket and made his way through the maze of objects Yoshiko had set at various points on the summoning circle. Suddenly, the sound of something clattering to the floor could be heard.

Yoshiko opened her eyes and ceased her ritual. “What is it boy?” She asked. “Did your brother show up?” She too wandered off camera. “But… that’s a figure of Benzaiten. She’s a girl. And she’s not even Greek. Sure, she’s almost as cute as Riri,” Yoshiko emphasized the word almost, causing Riko’s cheeks to flush, “but why would your brother appear as… hey, let go!” Her voice increased in pitch. “Phobetor! Hey!”

The sound a growling cat could just barely be made out if one listened closely. Riko sighed. Her girlfriend was fighting with a kitten in the other room. And the cat was obviously winning. Sadly, it was not the strangest thing she had known the younger girl to do.

“Are you sure?” Yoshiko’s voice returned to her fallen angel level. “Very well.” She walked back into the frame, carrying her pet. Phobetor, in turn, was holding the figure in his mouth, despite it being almost as big as him. Yoshiko set the cat back down in the center of the blanket before making her way back to the edge of the circle. “Let’s see about getting Morpheus here now.”

Phobetor settled in and began to groom the figure he had fought to keep.

“Morpheus!” The blue-haired girl intoned. “Τι θα λέγατε αν σας είπα ότι οι αδελφοί σας ήταν ήδη εδώ?” She repeated her exaggerated performance from before with only slight variations. “Σας καλώ, θεότητα ονείρων! Ελάτε!”

Riko jumped as a knock sounded at the door. She scrambled to catch her laptop before it tumbled to the floor. She then placed it gently on the table before making her way to the door. “I’m coming!” she called, hopefully loud enough for the visitor to hear.

“<Never fear!>” The blonde in the hall said in English as the door opened. “<Mari is here!>”

“Welcome, Mari.” The redhead said politely, moving out of the way to allow the older girl entry. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

“I was summoned!” Mari said with a grin.

“What? Yocchan didn’t say anything about that…”

“<It’s joke!>”

Riko opened her mouth to speak again, but closed it as she realized the futility of saying anything sane to someone like Mari. Besides, it wasn’t like she didn’t want her friends to feel free to visit any time, but with advanced notice, she could have at least tidied up a bit. Then again, the visitor was Mari, arguably the least likely among her friends to chide her about any amount of mess, though most likely to tease if said mess was large enough.

“Ah! <Pretty kitty!>” Mari cried, kneeling.

Riko looked down in time to see her cat leap into the other girl’s waiting arms. Mari laughed heartily as the kitten began licking her cheek.

“Wait! Phobetor!” Yoshiko charged around the corner. “We’re not done yet! Oh, hi, Mari.”

“Κάλεσα το Ονειρόι, βλέπω.” The blonde smirked at the blue-haired girl while petting a purring Phobetor.

Yoshiko blinked before returning a slightly sinister smile. “Φαίνεται ότι είναι όλοι εδώ.”

“Περισσότερο ή λιγότερο.” Mari laughed again. “Αλλά, πρέπει να ρωτήσω γιατί χρησιμοποιείτε τη σύγχρονη ελληνική αντί της αρχαίας.”

“Δεν γνωρίζω αρχαία ελληνικά.” Yoshiko replied with a shrug.

“<But you know Latin, right?>” The blonde inquired in the mentioned language.

“<But of course!>” The younger girl puffed her chest out with pride. “<Every angel should know Latin, especially fallen angels!>”

Mari gave a sidelong glance at the redhead watching them.

Riko blinked. “<What?>” She asked after a moment of silence. “<I know some Latin, but not much.> I’m surprised you know it, Mari.” She returned to her more familiar Japanese.

The older girl grinned.

“But I didn’t understand what you two were saying earlier.” Riko admitted when she realized the blonde was not going to respond. Come to think of it… “You can speak that other language too?”

Mari’s grin only grew. “So why not use Latin like you usually do?” She asked the blue-haired girl, also returning to Japanese.

“I figured Greek was more appropriate in this case.” Yoshiko admitted.

“Makes sense.” Mari nodded. “Now shouldn’t you finish your stream?”

The younger girl’s eyes widened. “You’re right!” She cried in realization. “Ελάτε μαζί μου, εσείς οι δύο!” She turned and headed back to the room where she performed her rituals. “Πρέπει να αποκαλύψουμε τον Ονειρόι στους μικρούς μου δαίμονες!”

Before following, Mari turned to Riko. “Papa and I were visiting one of the hotels in the area. He ended up meeting some friends and is going out with them, so I thought I’d do the same. Do you two want to catch lunch after this?”

“Sounds good.” Riko replied.

“<Fantastic!>” The older girl said in English, giving a thumbs up.

“Mari! Phobetor!” Yoshiko called. “You audience awaits!”

“<Coming!>” Mari replied cheerfully.

Riko smiled at the antics of the others before heading back to the couch. There, she returned to her previous position so she could finish watching her girlfriend’s stream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those unfamiliar with the Oneiroi, they are Greek deities of dreams; Oneiroi/Ονειρόι literally returns Dream in Google Translate. While there are apparently quite a few of them, the most prominent are Morpheus, Phobetor and Phantasos. Morpheus is the god of dreams and can manifest in the form of men. Phobetor is the god of nightmares and can manifest in the form of beasts. Phantasos is the god of surreal dreams and can manifest as inanimate objects.
> 
> Random additional point, apparently Phobetor is occasionally also referred to as Icelus, though I’ve seen references that imply that depending on the context, Icelus may sometimes be used as a separate deity. I’ve yet to decide if I wish to include this somehow in a future scene. Time will tell. I’m still adding notes and playing with ideas concerning YohaRiko’s new kitty companion.
> 
> Also, I find amusing the idea of Yohane having a figure of Benzaiten, a deity of music, talent and beauty, that might remind her of a certain redhead. This, in turn gives me an idea for something to bring up in HtHaN, as the girls of μ’s have a card set based on the Seven Lucky Gods, and their resident redhead was a natural fit to play the part of Benzaiten. Whether it is just mentioned in passing or ends up being an entire scene, I don’t know yet.
> 
> As for why Riko is watching a stream of Yohane’s ritual instead of being physically present, despite being in the same apartment, is something I intended to bring up in a different scene. Unfortunately, I’ve hit a wall with that scene and will have to finish it later… someday… maybe.
> 
> Lastly, as promised, here is what I originally typed into Google Translate:
> 
> “Phantasos!” The fallen angel intoned. “I command you to appear before me!” She closed her eyes and spread her arms wide, pulling her cape out in a grandiose display.
> 
> “Come forth! Join your brother here in the mortal realm!”
> 
> “Morpheus!” The blue-haired girl intoned. “What if I told you your brothers were already here?” She repeated her exaggerated performance from before with only slight variations. “I summon you, oh deity of dreams! Come forth!”
> 
> “Summoning the Oneiroi, I see.” The blonde smirked at the blue-haired girl.
> 
> Yoshiko blinked before returning a slightly sinister smile. “It seems they are all here.”
> 
> “More or less.” Mari laughed again. “But, I have to ask why you use modern Greek instead of ancient.”
> 
> “I don’t know ancient Greek.” Yoshiko replied with a shrug.
> 
> The younger girl’s eyes widened. “You’re right!” She cried in realization. “Come with me, you two!” She turned and headed back to the room where she performed her rituals. “We have to reveal the Oneiroi to my little demons!”


	24. Of Angels and Kittens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yohane and Riko decorate their apartment while Phobetor has plans of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~1.7k  
> Rating: K  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Late college? Young adult, post college? (May change as I write more)  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone

“And now,” Yoshiko intoned, “it is the moment you have all been waiting for. Baited breath and anxious anticipation most surely hath abound. It is time to unleash upon the world the hallowed secret that hath been buried until now.”

“Hallowed?” Riko raised an eyebrow. “Not unhallowed?”

“Indeed.” The fallen angel replied solemnly. “Ever the perceptive one you are, my Riri.” She began making a series of complex gestures with her hands. “Behold!” From seemingly out of nowhere, she suddenly produced a small white object.

“Yocchan… it’s…”

“’Tis the fruit of the combined labors of Yohane and one of her favored little demons, Watanabe You!”

“You-chan?”

“The one and only!”

“She helped you with this?”

“The design, mostly.” Yoshiko’s voice began to return to normal. “And material selection. But I wanted to make sure I did the bulk of the work actually making it.”

“Is that…” Riko leaned in closer for inspection “supposed to be… me?”

“It is.” The blue-haired girl confirmed. “Do you… like it?” She asked a bit more timidly.

“It’s cute.” The redhead replied. “Really cute.” She reached forward. “May I?”

“But of course! Of course!” Yoshiko allowed the item to be taken. “I made it for you, after all.”

Riko turned the small plush over in her hands. The auburn cloth for the hair was almost an exact match for hers. The white dress certainly looked like something Riko might select for herself on a sunny summer’s day. Clutched in the doll’s arms was a small, yellow star that looked like it was probably supposed to be a pillow. And though expressive detail was limited by the felt medium, Riko sensed a distinct air of peaceful joy; the type of simple contentment one might find in spending a lazy day in the company of a loved one.

“Yocchan, this is really good.” She turned it again to face her. “But why…?”

“It’s a little angel.”

“Well, I can see that…”

“For my little angel.”

Riko blushed.

Yoshiko grinned. “And what do mortals do with angels this time of year?”

Riko’s gaze found the Christmas tree the couple had finished decorating a few moments ago, or mostly finished, it would seem. “Put them on top of their trees?”

“Exactly!” the younger girl cheered.

The older girl’s cheeks flushed even more. “You made an ornament of me for our tree?”

“Well, Riri is my favorite little angel,” Yoshiko explained, “but I don’t think you’d fit up there yourself… So I made this as a proxy.”

“I see…”

“She’s definitely cuter than some generic angel we could buy in a store.” Yoshiko exaggerated her pronunciation for effect, specifically of the word generic.

“True…” Riko conceded. With the classes she was taking, her girlfriend was becoming more proficient with needle and thread by the day and this was definitely a good example of her talents.

“But not as cute as the real Riri.”

“Y-Yocchan…”

“So now that the secret has been revealed, would you allow me the honor of placing the final ornament on our tree?” The blue-haired girl bowed slightly as she reached forward for the angel.

“Sure…” The redhead replied, handing back the ornament, though still unsure how comfortable she was with the idea of a representation of her being displayed on their tree.

Yoshiko grinned as she climbed onto the chair by the tree and began humming to herself as she fussed with top branches to ensure proper alignment.

As Riko watched her girlfriend, she thought about the new ornament. Surely, it wasn’t that much different than multitude of pictures the couple had on display around the apartment, right? And Riko was fine with the pictures, so the angel should be fine as well. And there was no doubt her girlfriend had poured her heart into the project to produce a professional quality product to show her feelings in what she believed to be a meaningful way. A smile crossed Riko’s lips at this realization.

“Perfect!” The younger girl exclaimed, holding her arms out in an exuberant display. She hopped down from her perch and spun to face her girlfriend. “What do you think?” She inquired through a broad smile.

“I love it.” The older girl replied. “Thank you, Yocchan.”

“So what’s next for decorations?”

Riko turned towards the box of decorations. “Let’s see…”

* * *

Movement out of the corner of her eye caught Riko’s attention and she glanced towards the source.

Nothing.

Strange. She resumed her task of stringing garland across the window. But a moment later, she thought she saw something move again, this time accompanied by what might have been the rustle of artificial tree branches. She turned once more towards the source but was unable to definitively discern what was going on.

“What’s wrong, Riri?” Yoshiko asked from where she was setting up a small holiday themed display on a nearby shelf.

“Didn’t you hear that?” The redhead returned a question of her own.

“Hear what?” The blue-haired girl blinked at her girlfriend in mild confusion. “All I hear is the music.” She tilted her head in the direction of the mp3 player.

“Nevermind.” Riko shook her head. “Guess I’m just imagining things.”

Yoshiko shrugged and went back to her display.

However, no sooner had Riko turned her attention back to the garland than both the movement and the noise occurred again.

“Phobetor!” Yoshiko suddenly scolded.

Sure enough, when Riko turned, there was no mistaking the black cat who was poking his head and front paws out of the uppermost branches of their tree. The young cat made eye contact with both of his owners for a brief moment before climbing the last few inches to his goal.

“What are you doing?” The blue-haired girl demanded, stalking her way towards the tree. “Stop that!”

Unfazed by the command, Phobetor reached out a paw and pushed the angel from its position. As though he had practiced it a hundred times, he caught the ornament gently in his mouth before pulling himself onto the upper limbs. Amazingly, without disturbing the rest of the ornaments – at least not to the point of jostling any loose – he leapt out into the room

“Hey!” Yoshiko cried as a black blur dashed past her. She spun on her heel and gave chase.

For her part, Riko merely sighed and stepped down from her chair. Another day, another adventure living with two eccentric individuals. Casually, she followed her girlfriend and pet into the bedroom. She wasn’t about to let herself get swept into things this time. Not like that was a common occurrence or anything… No, Riko was definitely the most levelheaded being in the apartment… definitely…

“Give that back!” The fallen angel commanded as Riko walked into the bedroom. “Angel thief! Kidnapper!” The younger girl was on her hands and knees, reaching desperately under the bed. “Phobetor!” She whined. “That’s Riri’s!” She looked up at the redhead. “Help me!” She begged.

Riko made her way to the other side of the bed and knelt down to look under. There she found Phobetor crouching just out of arms reach of Yoshiko. But since their bed was small, he was well within Riko’s range. However, as soon as the redhead moved her hands towards the cat, he scurried towards the foot of the bed, forcing both girls to shift their own positions. Upon depleting the available cover from the bed, Phobetor jumped up onto it instead.

“I’ll get you now!” Yoshiko proclaimed, pouncing onto the sheets.

The agile feline dodged around the larger human and was back under the bed in seconds.

Riko started laughing. “Yocchan.”

“Huh?”

“Phobetor is being quite persistent in his desire to keep the angel.”

“And I’m quite persistent to get it back.”

“I know.” Riko continued to giggle, as she took a seat on the edge of the bed to watch her girlfriend’s futile attempts to retrieve the ornament. “But perhaps we should just let him keep it?”

“What?” Yoshiko’s head popped up.

“He seems to like it.”

“But I made it for you.”

“I know.” The redhead nodded. “And I still love it. But as you’ve probably seen, he’s become more attached to me as of late. Maybe he likes it because it reminds him of me?”

The blue-haired girl pursed her lips in thought. “He did claim my figure of Benzaiten which I bought because it reminded me of you…”

“Exactly… oh, hey there, pretty kitty.” Riko turned her attention to the cat that suddenly appeared by her side, angel ornament still in his mouth. She smiled as Phobetor rubbed his head against her hip before climbing into her lap. “See? I think everything is fine.” She began running a hand across the kitten’s back as he settled down and began to purr.

“Spoiled cat…” Yoshiko grumbled.

“Like pet, like owner.” Riko reached out to pat her girlfriend’s head. Yoshiko pouted, earning a laugh from Riko. “Besides, you spoil him more than I do.”

“Well, yeah, I can’t help it.” The younger girl admitted. “He’s too cute not to spoil.”

“I could say the same about you.” The older girl grinned, still petting both cat and girlfriend.

“Maybe…” Yoshiko said, moving to a position beside Riko before leaning into her.

“Not maybe.” Riko corrected. “Definitely.” She slid her hand from the other girl’s head, down her back and finally around her waist so she could pull her closer.

“You know I think he understands us.” Yoshiko said after a moment.

“Probably.” Riko agreed.

“I mean he came out immediately after you said you weren’t going to take back your angel.”

“I’ve read that cats are supposed to be smarter than dogs.”

“I’ll make another one for you. We still have time before Christmas.”

Riko chuckled. “Phobetor would probably just take that one as well.”

“No.” Yoshiko shook her head. “I’ll tell him not to.” She turned her attention to the cat in the older girl’s lap. “You hear that, Phobetor?” The kitten in question opened his eyes and blinked at her. “I’ll let you have that one, but I’m going to make another that will be for Riri, alright?”

The cat’s ears twitched and after a moment he stood up. He stepped down from Riko’s lap, carried his angel across the bed and curled up between the pillows at the other end.

“Well now that that’s settled,” Riko spoke up, “shall we get back to decorating?”

“Definitely!” Yoshiko replied, cheerfully as she sprang to her feet. She then grabbed her girlfriend’s hand and dragged her back to the living room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another scene centered around ornaments and Christmas decorations, but writing HtHaN’s First Tree was what gave me the idea for this scene, so here we are.
> 
> Also, if it isn’t obvious enough by now, I love writing about the antics of Yoshiko and Phobetor. Introducing the cat has been a boon to my idea stockpile for HL, even going so far as to indirectly give me ideas for scenes that take place before he is adopted by the angelic couple. For example, I probably would not have introduced the idea of the girls moving into an apartment with a soundproofed room had it not been for me introducing Phobetor. This, in turn, has lead me ideas for HtHaN, so I guess the little kitten is affecting that story as well.


	25. Prelude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to introduce Prelude into the YohaRiko apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~2.1k  
> Rating: T, though it started out K and stayed that way right up until the end  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Late college? Young adult, post college? (May change as I write more)  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone
> 
> As soon as the final episode of SS revealed Prelude, I knew I had include the adorable pup in HL. But I didn’t want to retcon what I’ve already written concerning the girls being allowed to have pets, so I slid the idea on the back burner so I could let it simmer for a little while I focused on some other scenes. However, it didn’t want to stay there, and I kept pecking away at it even while I wrote Yocchan and finally finished the dust covered WIP, Sub-units for HtHaN.

“Riri! Riri! Riri!” A blue-haired blur burst into the room.

“Y-Yocchan, wha…?” The redhead on the bed startled up to a sitting position.

The sudden movement spooked the black cat who had been curled up by her side. The kitten leapt up before scrambling off the bed and under it.

“Guess what! Guess what!” Yoshiko bounded across the room. Unfortunately, about a meter from the bed, her toe caught… something… and she flew the remaining distance with the all the grace of an angel with broken wings.

“Yocchan!” Riko cried as she watched her girlfriend faceplant into the comforter beside her. “Are you alright?!”

“Geh…” The younger girl grunted as her stomach struck the edge of the mattress with almost enough force to knock the wind out of her. She groaned and slid off the side to end up in a position somewhat similar to seiza, though someone more traditionally strict like Dia would undoubtedly disagree.

“Yocchan…” The older girl reached out gently.

“I’m… fine…” Yoshiko wheezed, trying to catch her breath.

Riko smiled warmly and ran a hand across Yoshiko’s head, happy to see the blue-haired girl push up a bit into her palm. “So, what’s got you so exited?” She asked after a moment.

“Oh, yeah, that’s right.” Yoshiko’s exuberant smile returned and she bounced up and down a little. “So, I literally just ran into Tanaka-san on my way in.”

“Literally?” Riko raised an eyebrow.

Yoshiko deflated a bit. “Yeah…” she admitted. “But that’s not the point.” She shook her head. “Anyway, she asked me about Phobetor and how he is doing and if we’ve been feeding him properly and taking him to the vet and all that.”

Riko chuckled, amused by the idea that their landlord was concerned about their pet’s wellbeing.

“But then she asked something else.”

“Oh?”

“She asked if we had picked up a friend for him.”

“A friend?” Riko questioned. “You mean like another cat or something?”

“Yeah.” Yoshiko nodded.

“But, I thought…”

“I know, that’s what I told her.” The fallen angel confirmed, knowing what her girlfriend meant. “I pointed out that we had assumed that there was a limit to just one pet because that’s what seemed to be common in this area.”

“Yeah…”

“And she laughed before apologizing for not clarifying things. Then she starts going on about how a lot of people assume housecats are solitary animals, when they really aren’t; they’re social animals who like having companions. Apparently, our neighbor across the hall already has two cats.”

“So, are you telling me all of this because you already found another abandoned animal to take in?” Riko couldn’t help a knowing smirk crossing her lips.

“Not exactly…”

The redhead blinked.

“I was thinking, maybe you’d want to bring Arg…” She caught the other girl’s glare. “ah, I-I mean Prelude, here?”

Riko took a slow breath as the implications of the situation dawned on her. Prelude was the young pug her parents had given her at the end of her second year in high school; a celebratory gift to commemorate her getting over her fear of dogs. She had spent a wonderful year with her puppy before resigning herself to living without her while she was in college.

It had initially been her plan that upon graduation, or soon thereafter, she would find a place that would allow her to have a dog. However, she had not anticipated finding this apartment that accommodated her musical studies and had come to terms with the possibility that it might be a bit longer before she could live with Prelude once again. Then the policy changed and she let her girlfriend take in a kitten. And now…

“You wouldn’t mind?” Riko asked, a bit more timidly than she intended.

“Of course not.” Yoshiko returned a quirky grin. “I love dogs. You know that.”

“Sorry,” The pianist shook her head “it’s just that you’ve only brought in cats here, so I guess I thought…”

“I just haven’t found any dogs around here, that’s all.” The fallen angel giggled. “I’d happily go back to Numazu and find Laelaps again.”

“Lae… you mean Nocturne?”

“Laelaps!” Yoshiko insisted. “Anyway, Prelude’s a good pup. It will be good to see her again.”

“You think Phobetor will mind?”

“Nah, he’ll be fine.” Yoshiko pulled up the bed skirt to find her cat. “Right, boy? You’d like to meet Prelude as well, right? I think you two will get along well.”

Phobetor meowed in response before crawling over to his human.

“See?” The blue-haired girl took the cat into her arms and stood. “He says he’s looking forward to it.” She climbed onto the bed, set Phobetor about where he had been before, then lay down beside him and her girlfriend.

Riko lay back down as well. “So, when do you think we should do this?” She turned toward the other girl.

“Tomorrow?”

The redhead blinked. “Tomorrow?”

“It’s the weekend and last I checked we’re both free, so I figured we may as well do it as soon as possible. We could make a daytrip out of it or even stay overnight at one of our places.”

“I’d like to stay overnight.” Riko said.

“Maybe dinner at one place, then stay overnight at the other so we can catch breakfast the next morning?” Yoshiko offered.

“Yeah, that sounds good. I’ll send a message to my mom in a little bit.” Riko leaned over for what she intended to be just a quick kiss. “Thanks, Yocchan.”

Yoshiko, however, had other ideas and slid her arms around the other girl so she could pull her on top of herself. “Yohane is always happy to do whatever she can for her lovely angel Riri.”

Riko allowed herself a chuckle before leaning down to complete the kiss she had started moments prior.

* * *

“Alright.” Yoshiko said, securing the gate across the bedroom door. “The website suggested that you now walk Prelude around to get used to Phobetor’s smell.”

Riko nodded before looking down to the dog at her feet. “Come on, Prelude.” She motioned with the leash before beginning to lead her pug through the apartment.

Both girls were startled by a sudden clattering sound coming from the bedroom.

“What…?” Yoshiko asked, watching their young cat scale the gate with ease and leap off the top.

The black cat landed on the blue-haired girl’s shoulders and used her to redirect his course towards the redhead and grey dog. He landed just in front of Prelude, who cocked her head to the side in curiosity. Riko tensed and tightened her grip on the leash, preparing for a possible negative confrontation.

The two small animals stared at each other for a moment in silence. Then, without warning, Phobetor reared up on his hind legs and swatted a paw across Prelude’s snout before turning to scamper away.

Riko opened her mouth to protest but stopped when Yoshiko held up a hand toward her.

Barely a meter away, Phobetor had come to a stop and glanced over his shoulder at Prelude, who remained still. The cat turned, walked back to the dog and stood in front of her. Yet again, after a moment, he reared up and swatted the larger animal. This time, however, he strafed sideways, never taking his eyes off her. For her part Prelude merely followed the smaller critter with a curious gaze.

“He’s not using his claws. He’s not hissing or growling or anything. His hackles aren’t raised.” Yoshiko explained calmly, still holding her hand out to placate her girlfriend’s apprehension. “He’s playing.” She concluded.

A third time, Phobetor approached Prelude. Immediately, he raised a paw, but did not strike. After a moment, the young dog raised her own paw, mirroring the cat in front of her. She then moved her leg forward and planted her paw squarely on Phobetor’s face. The cat closed his eyes, but did not recoil or otherwise react to the contact. The two animals stayed in this position for a few moments before Phobetor turned his head to shuffle off the paw, closed the distance between them and butted his head into the dog’s chest before glancing off and running his cheek across her.

A grin crossed Yoshiko’s lips. “I dare say my familiar has found a familiar of his own.”

Riko smirked. “Who’s to say Prelude isn’t the one who has found a familiar of her own?”

“Impossible!” The younger girl proclaimed, standing suddenly. “He’s marked her as his!”

“I thought cats bunted other animals to spread the communal scent.” The older girl mused.

“Well, that too.” Yoshiko conceded. “But that was a possessive bunting! I’m sure of it! A familiar as powerful as Phobetor would never submit to…” She glanced down at her pet “… to…” Her shoulders slumped.

Phobetor was curling into a tight ball across Prelude’s paws. Closing his eyes, he began purring. Prelude rested her head across one of her paws and leaned against the kitten.

“Well, I guess this means that the first meeting went well.” Riko commented.

“We won’t be needing Step 2 or 3 or any of the rest.” Yoshiko added.

“Good girl, Prelude.” Riko praised, kneeling beside her dog and running a hand across her head. “You know, these two kind of remind me of us.”

“Oh?” Yoshiko raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

The redhead laughed lightly. “Phobetor was trying to instigate something and Prelude just stopped him calmly.”

“And then they cuddled together after.”

“Exactly. Just like us.”

“Hrm…” The blue-haired girl pursed her lips.

When Riko’s hand reached the collar, she disconnected the leash as it no longer seemed necessary.

Phobetor’s eyes snapped open at the metallic click and scrambled off Prelude’s paws. Startled, the young pug stood up and stared at the kitten. Yet again, the black cat reared up and swatted across the grey dog’s snout before running off. Prelude gave a soft bark and set off in pursuit.

“Should we stop them?” Riko inquired as a worried expression crossed her face.

“I think they’ll be alright.” Yoshiko replied.

“I’ve read that larger dogs can injure kittens if they’re not careful.”

“Lily.” Yoshiko scolded.

“Huh?”

“You should have more faith in Prelude.”

A black blur came back around the corner with a grey one close behind. Phobetor came to a stop and rolled onto his back. Prelude caught up and dropped a paw on the cat’s exposed belly. The kitten batted at the limb before twisting his way out from under it and skittering away once again.

“Pugs are a gentle breed.” Yoshiko explained, smiling as she watched the two animals continue playing. “They’re good with kids and other household pets.” She turned to her girlfriend with a smirk. “You didn’t know that when you picked her out?”

“My parents actually picked her out.” Riko admitted.

“Ah.”

“And I just thought she was cute.”

“Well she is.” She laughed as Phobetor scaled the gate in the bedroom door and perched on top but found he could no longer reach the dog below with his swipes. “But, you know I think that reminds me more of us.” She watched her cat leap over her girlfriend’s dog. “I’d say Phobetor got the reaction he wanted from Prelude.”

“What does that mean? When have I ever…” Riko cut off at the sight of her girlfriend’s smug smile.

“Yohane has learned well how to get what she wants from her Riri.” The fallen angel intoned.

“Yocchan sounds so sure of herself.” The older girl crossed her arms.

“Because I am.” The younger girl approached with her own arms open. “Kyaa!” She cried suddenly, as her cat threaded his way between her legs. Trying to avoid stepping on the kitten, she twisted her leg awkwardly, causing her slipper to slide off. “Wha?!” A less agile canine collided with her leg as it came down and she quickly found that her stocking was unable to provide enough grip on the floor. “Riri!” She warned, flailing in a vain attempt to keep her balance. “Look out!”

“I got you.” Riko said assuredly, catching the falling girl. “Well, that’s one way to get a hug…”

“That’s not what I wanted!” Yoshiko whined, squirming into a more comfortable position.

“You don’t want to hug me?”

“That’s not what I meant!” The blue-haired girl pulled away enough so she could make eye contact with the other girl. “Of course, I like hugs.” She pouted. “But what I really wanted was a kiss.”

The redhead laughed. “Silly Yocchan.” She leaned her head down. “You don’t need to instigate anything to get a kiss from me.” Her eyes fluttered shut as the distance between their lips closed.

Yoshiko wrapped her arms around the taller girl’s neck so she could pull herself up and deepen the kiss. In moments, the two girls were lost in their own world, blissfully unaware that their pets had ceased playing and had found a place to settle down for a nap together. After a while the two girls ended up following suit, heading for their bedroom. However, what they had planned was a bit less peaceful than a nap. It was now their turn to play.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m awaiting the SS movie in hopes of canon Yohane and Prelude interaction before I commit to writing a scene earlier in the timeline.
> 
> Also, I hope this suits your fancy, [Anon](https://ryqoshay.tumblr.com/post/169124891657/hi-will-prelude-be-included-in-happy-life-now). ^_^
> 
> Lastly, I’m curious if anyone can figure out the name Yohane tried to give Prelude and her reasons for choosing said name.


	26. Angelic Nap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Sakurauchi-Tsushima household gathers on the couch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~880  
> Rating: K  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Late college? Young adult, post college? (May change as I write more)  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone
> 
> This might be the first time I’ve commissioned an illustration for a scene I had yet to complete. In doing so, I had hoped the picture would help get me past the block with which I was struggling. However, for some reason, I was able to do so on my own. Not complaining, mind.
> 
> That said, I will link the illustration here when it is done.

“I’m home.” Riko announced, closing the door behind her.

Silence.

“Yocchan?”

Still nothing.

Strange. The redhead glanced down at the shoe rack. Yoshiko’s most worn shoes were there. The younger girl’s coat was its hook and her book bag leaned against the wall. Was she asleep?

“Prelude. Phobetor.” Riko decided to call the pets of the household. If her girlfriend wasn’t going to greet her, she figured it might be nice to at least have someone meet her at the door.

However, silence continued to reign from within the apartment.

Sighing, Riko placed her shoes neatly on the rack before moving into the apartment. “Anyone home?” She continued to try to get someone’s attention.

The kitchen was empty, but glancing into the living room gave a hint to someone’s whereabouts. The television displayed the screen saver for one of Yoshiko’s game consoles. Riko smiled and made her way over to the couch to lean over the back. Sure enough, the three other residents of the apartment lay snuggled together and sleeping.

Yoshiko lay on her side across the length of the couch while Phobetor had curled himself into a tight ball atop her hip. Prelude was pressed in tight to Yoshiko’s chest and fallen-angel’s arm lay across the snoozing pug.

Cute.

Riko pulled her phone out and snapped a quick picture of the sleeping bunch. She then opened her gallery to review the shot. It wasn’t half bad, but perhaps it could be better from another angle. With that thought in mind, Riko made her way around the couch, quietly so as not to disturb anyone’s slumber. Sitting on the edge of the table, she found the desired camera position and snapped a handful more pictures.

Unfortunately, on standing back up, her foot caught the discarded controller on the floor and kicked it into the front of the couch. It didn’t make a particularly loud noise, but Riko winced anyway and hoped it wasn’t enough to wake anyone.

“Riri?” a drowsy voice drawled as magenta eyes dragged open.

Drat. “Sorry, Yocchan.” Riko apologized.

“Mmm…” Yoshiko reached up to rub at her eyes.

The movement caused Prelude to stir. The young dog lifted her head to gaze at the blue-haired girl as though to inquire as to why she had removed her arm from around her. After a moment, she turned her attention to Riko.

“C’me j’n us Riri…” Yoshiko murmured, reaching toward her girlfriend.

Riko smiled. “It doesn’t look like there is much room left.” She noted how Yoshkio was almost long enough to take up the entire couch.

“I’y ma’e r’m…” The younger girl pulled her knees up to clear one of the cushions on the end.

This movement now woke up Phobetor who yawned and stretched out his paws. He then pushed himself up into a sitting position, yawned again and turned to stare at Riko.

Now there were three sets of eyes were on the redhead, all pleading in their own way for her to join them.

Riko’s gaze moved from the newly opened spot to the pillow under her girlfriend’s head and she suddenly had an idea. “One moment.” She said, moving across the room to the bookshelf. There, she retrieved a couple manga she had been meaning to read recently. She then headed back to the couch and stooped to place a hand on the pillow. “Lift your head for a moment, Yocchan.”

Yoshiko blinked, but did as she was told, propping herself up with one hand.

Riko pulled out the pillow and discarded it haphazardly somewhere into the room. She then shimmied carefully down the arm of the couch to slide her legs under her girlfriend’s raised head. Finally, she made a few minor adjustments to her position to get comfortable. “You can lay back down now.”

A tired grin crossed Yoshiko’s lips. “<Come nap with us, Riri.>” She said in English, her voice a sleepy version of Yohane’s deeper intonation. “<Forever and ever an…>” She was cut off by a yawn.

Riko gently swatted the younger girl, earning a giggle. She then reached down to run her hand across her dog’s head, earning a quick lick. Finally, she reached over to pet her kitten who immediately settled back down and started purring.

“<Oh sure, pet the puppy and kitten. Destroy the human.>”

“<Kidnap the humans. Destroy the machine.>” The older girl corrected.

“Whatever,” Yoshiko made a dismissive gesture “you’re not Danny either.”

“I suppose not.” Riko admitted, opening her book and shifted it into one hand. She then ran her free hand through her girlfriend’s hair.

“Mmm…” Yoshiko hummed contently, closing her eyes again. Happy with the new arrangement, she dropped her arm back down around Prelude who snuggled in closer. “We should order out tonight.” She suggested after a moment.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, that way neither of us has to get up to make it so we can stay like this longer.”

Riko chuckled. “Alright, I’ll make the call in a little bit. Anything you want me to order for you?”

“Riri knows what Yohane likes.” Yoshiko yawned. “Surprise me.” She closed her eyes and nuzzled into her girlfriend’s lap.

“Alright.” Riko agreed before turning her attention back to her book. As she read, her free hand went back to playing with smooth strands of blue hair.


	27. How to Handle Plan B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plan A does not always work out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Primary Pairing: YohaRiko  
> Words: ~1.4k  
> Rating: K  
> AU: Angelic?  
> Time Frame: Late college? Young adult, post college? (May change as I write more)  
> Story Arc: Stand Alone
> 
> Hit a wall with the first scene I wanted to write for Riko’s birthday. As such, the title for this new scene shares a meaning with my own experiences in writing it.

“I’m home!” Riko called, entering the apartment. She smiled as a black kitten and a tan puppy scampered around the corner. “Hey Prelude, Phobetor.” She knelt and scratched both pets behind their ears. “Do you two know if Yocchan is home yet?”

As if they actually understood the question, the young animals turned and lead the way to the kitchen.

“Riri!?” Yoshiko uttered, turning in surprise as her three roommates entered. “I-I didn’t expect you home so s-soon!”

“Everything alright?”

“I… think the stove is cursed… or something.” The younger girl fussed with the dials and held her hand over the burners, hoping for heat.

“Is it plugged in?”

“I checked that.”

“Did the breaker trip?”

“Checked that too.” Yoshiko sighed, glancing at the uncooked food on the counter. “And I already prepped everything too…”

“Have you called the landlord?”

“Not yet.”

“Why don’t you go relax for a bit.” Riko suggested, sensing her girlfriend’s frustrations. “It’s not a problem. Don’t worry about it.”

Yoshiko opened her mouth to protest further, but closed it at the sight of Riko’s gentle smile. With one last lamenting look at the half-finished meal, the fallen angel trudged into the living room.

* * *

“Well, I’ve got good news and bad news.” Riko announced, stepping up behind the couch. Unconsciously, her hand moved to stroke the cat perched on the back.

“Mmm…?” Yoshiko looked over with an expression that was obviously attempting to control an increasing irritation.

“Bad news; Tanaka-san said they won’t be able to make it over tonight.” Riko explained as she leaned over to pat the dog on the cushion. “Good news; she said to send her the receipt for whatever we order tonight, be it if we go out or order in or whatever, and she’ll deduct it from our rent. Same goes for breakfast tomorrow if need be.”

“That’s… good…”

“So, what’s wrong now?”

“The system needs an update, but it’s not connecting.”

“Do we have connection?”

“My phone connects fine, so it’s probably something server side.”

“What about your offline games?”

Yoshiko shook her head. “Those won’t work either until the system gets its update.”

“I see.” Riko offered a sympathetic smile before rubbing her girlfriend’s head in a similar way to how she had just done with their pets. She was grateful that Yoshiko wasn’t so upset so as not to be placated by the gesture, even pushing up into Riko’s hand a bit. “Well, why don’t we place an order?” Riko pulled out her phone. “Then I can play something for you while we wait?”

“You’d be alright with that?”

Riko chuckled. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Yoshiko pursed her lips. “Well, it’s just that today is…”

“I know, but that doesn’t mean you have to everything.” The older girl explained. “And sure, I always enjoy watching you play and talking about your games, but, having Yocchan as an exclusive audience when I play is also a gift unto itself.”

That earned a smile from Yoshiko.

“But first…” Riko opened an app. “Let’s get some food on its way.” She made her selection and before handing the device to the other girl.

Yoshiko tapped at the screen a few times before frowning.

“Now what?”

“They’re out of my favorite…”

“We can order from somewhere else if you prefer.”

“Hrm… Maybe I can try the special?”

“Oh? Which one? I chose the second one.”

“In that case I’ll go with the first…”

“That looked good as well.”

“Yohane would be more than happy to share a few bites with her angelic Riri.”

Riko smiled, happy to see a spark of the Yoshiko she loved best start to return. She held out a hand, which Yoshiko took, before leading the younger girl to the music room. Prelude and Phobetor followed close behind. Riko liked to think that the pets enjoyed her music as much as Yoshiko, but she realized they were probably mainly interested in the company.

Yoshiko settled into her favorite spot while Riko sat on the piano bench. The redhead lifted the fallboard, poised her hands above the keys for a brief moment and then began to play.

Three chords in, Riko stopped.

“What was that?” Yoshiko asked, picking up on something being wrong, but not quite able to identify it on her own.

Riko tapped at one of the keys. But, instead of the expected harmonious tone, a dull thud sounded.

“Did the curse affect the piano as well?” Yoshiko gasped. “I thought Riri’s aura of good fortune would be enough to protect it.”

“I think it just needs a bit of maintenance.” Riko chuckled. “I have been playing it a lot lately.”

“So… now what?”

“Hrm…” The older girl thought for a moment. “How about… maybe… Why don’t we head down to the convenience store and pick up some special treats for Prelude and Phobetor?” She smiled as the got the expected reaction from the two animals.

“And a cake?”

Riko blinked.

“I couldn’t make dinner, and I won’t be able to make a cake for you either.”

“Ah, that’s fine.”

“It is?”

“Of course. If I know my Yocchan, you’ll be wanting to bake the cake as soon as the oven is repaired.”

“True.”

“Oh, and I packaged up everything you prepped already, so it will be that much easier for us to make dinner tomorrow.”

“I’ll make it!” Yoshiko offered, enthusiastically. “Yohane insists on making dinner for her Riri, even if it is belated.”

“Alright.” Riko nodded. “Then shall we head out?”

“To the store!” Yoshiko made for the door.

* * *

“I’m sorry, Riri…”

“Again?” Riko tilted her head in confusion. “Now what?”

The couple had finished a lovely dinner together and were now settling down on the couch to enjoy their cake while watching a movie.

“There was one more thing my curse affected.”

“Oh?”

“Your gift.”

“What do you mean?”

“I ordered it online and it was supposed to be here no later than yesterday.” Yoshiko explained. “But it somehow got misshipped to someone in France.”

Riko snorted as she tried to hold back, but it didn’t take long before she burst out laughing.

“Riri?”

“Sh… shipped to… F… France?” Riko struggled to get out between bouts.

“That’s what the tracking info says. And they don’t know when it will get here. I’m sorry…”

“No, no, no…” Riko shook her head and willed herself to calm down. She slipped an arm around her girlfriend and pulled her close. “It’s not your fault, Yocchan. These things happen sometimes.” She giggled. “Maybe we can have Mari pick it up for us.”

“Yeah, but…” Yoshiko cut off as a kiss landed on her cheek.

“I know you’re going to say that they happen more often to you. But regardless of how true that might be, it still doesn’t make it your fault.” She poked the other girl’s nose. “And I’ll keep telling you that until you believe it.”

“But today is supposed to be special.” The younger girl finally got in her protest.

“And it is.” Riko assured. “I just had a wonderful meal with my lovely girlfriend. And now I’m getting ready to watch a movie and spend some quality time with my beloved Yocchan. Just the two of us.” Two heads popped up, causing Riko to laugh again. “Sorry, four of us.” She corrected.

“But we do this at least once a week.” Yoshiko insisted. “Usually more.”

“Doesn’t make it any less special.” Riko replied. “And doesn’t mean I enjoy it any less. Don’t you enjoy it too?”

“Of course, I do. I love our movie nights. And game nights. And music nights.”

“And study nights?”

“Not so much.” Yoshiko admitted. “But I do enjoy studying together more than alone.”

“As to I.” Riko smiled. “So, stop fretting and enjoy this movie with me. I think you worry too much about me sometimes.”

“A fallen angel should always concern herself with the well-being of her angelic girlfriend.”

“A fallen angel should also know when to relax and go with Plan B when Plan A fails.”

“I think we’re probably on like D or E by now…”

“Probably past that even…” Riko chuckled.

“Plan Double-Theta?” Yoshiko grinned.

“Sure, let’s go with that.” Riko reached for the remote. “But before we do, there is one more thing I’d like from you.”

“Oh?” Yoshiko raised an eyebrow.

“Something that recognizes this special day.”

The blue-haired girl paused in thought before her eyes widened with realization. “Happy birthday, Riri!” She finally said cheerfully.

“Thanks, Yocchan.” Riko replied before hitting Play.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well… that certainly was an interesting patchwork of old notes and recycled ideas… But that’s occasionally what Plan B ends up being. And I wanted to get something out by Riko’s birthday. Perhaps someday I’ll come back to this and smooth things out. But if my track record concerning HtHaN’s much needed retcons is any indication, it’ll probably be a while.
> 
> That all said, the primary source of inspiration for this scene is a set of plaques my mom bought for the family. They say “Life is all about how you handle Plan B” which is more or less one of our mottoes. We often joke about adding to the plaques “Or Plan C. Or Plan D. Or…” or something of the like.
> 
> I can see Riko adapting this mindset even before she starts dating Yohane. Possibly as early as asking the younger girl to move in with her, or possibly earlier. And perhaps I can write a scene or two about such preparation once the movie is released.
> 
> Finally, kudos to anyone who knows another mention of a Plan Double-Theta.


	28. HL Order of Posts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A list of the order in which I have posted new chapters.  
> I am tracking the latest post in the primary summary of the overall work, but in case readers miss an update or two, this is intended to help them find chapters they have yet to read.  
> Also, to be clear, this is a list of the order in which I am posting the chapters. For a list of chapters in their in-universe chronological order, refer to the Chapter Index.

2017-10-14: How to Fall

2017-11-14: Manchineel Halberd

2017-11-30: Quirky Cooking

2017-12-07: Angel Food

2017-12-10: Angelic Swap

2017-12-12: Phobetor

2017-12-13: Oneiroi

2017-12-21: Of Angels and Kittens

2018-01-02: Yocchan

2018-01-09: Prelude

2018-01-12: The Apartment

2018-01-12: Little Lemons

2018-02-08: Cute Cookies

2018-02-13: Unsent - To Riko

2018-02-14: Unsent - To Yoshiko

2018-02-20: Side Story: Unsent - To Kanan and Dia

2018-03-01: Angelic Nap

2018-05-12: Revelations

2018-05-13: My Angel

2018-05-18: Angelic Game

2018-05-21: Fallen Towel

2018-06-12: A Roost for Weary Wings

2018-07-13: Angel's Own Luck

2018-07-21: Bed Bath and Bewildered

2018-08-26: Dream Warden

2018-09-19: How to Handle Plan B

2018-11-12: Hibagon

Happy Life is now synced across my AO3 and Tumblr accounts! Woo! ＼(￣▽￣)／  
That said, if you prefer Tumblr's format, [here is a list of all HL scenes there.](https://ryqoshay.tumblr.com/post/163710610677/hl-list-of-scenes)


End file.
